Personal pain toll of injuries

go from playing every week to being told you can’t play for nine months,” said the Tele Sport columnist.

“It’s a huge test mentally.

“The physio side of it was quite easy, they say ‘do this, do that’ and give you a programme to follow.

“But it’s not quite so easy to tell yourself ‘do this, do that’.

“When I got injured, Dundee were in a relegation fight. And that was difficult because I wanted to help my team but I couldn’t.

“When injured I didn’t want to be at matches. I did go most of the time to support the team but I just didn’t want to be there.

“You can’t enjoy being there. When they started struggling and dropping down the table you feel helpless and that you aren’t helping.”

The mental test doesn’t end the moment a player is back out on the training field.

“It isn’t only the time out that is difficult mentally but even when you return,” Wilkie added.

“I know I wasn’t as fearless as before.

“Before the injury I’d be running about fine, jumping into tackles no problem. But, coming back from the injury, I was a bit hesitant.

“That took a while to get over.” Wilkie would go on to suffer more knee problems and eventually left Dundee before signing a short-term deal at rivals Dundee United in 2006.

He would play two seasons at Tannadice but was forced to hang up his boots at the age of 29.

“I was just frustrated to start with when I got injured again,” he said.

“And you think ‘I can’t do it all again, I can’t do nine months rehab again’.

“On one hand it was easier because you know how it works, you’ve experienced it. But that still doesn’t help your frame of mind when you see the length of time you are going to be out stretch in front of you.”

However, Wilkie remains sanguine about his playing days and prefers to remember the good times, which included 11 Scotland caps, one international goal as well as Scottish Cup and League Cup Final appearances.

“Football is a short career and I think I was injured for half of mine,” Wilkie adds.

“I am the type of person, though, that doesn’t like to have regrets. I’m delighted to have had the career I did have.

“Just to be a pro footballer was a dream and to play for my country as well as Dundee and Dundee United, I wouldn’t change any of it.”

experience has given him a valuable insight as manager into what players go through physically and emotionally.