Dee’s injured stars and when they are likely to be match-fit again

TONY Docherty says Dundee’s injury list is as long as it has been during his debut season as manager.

The Dark Blues squad is stretched, with a number of key players ruled out, some of them for some time.

The hope is this weekend’s break, as international football takes centre stage, will allow a few of those injuries to clear up.

So who is out and when can we expect them back?

OWEN BECK

The news no Dee wanted to see was Beck heading back to Liverpool for treatment.

The loan star has been a major player for Docherty this season, lighting up the Premiership at times.

But they’ll have to soldier on without the flying wingback for at least the next four games.

Docherty revealed the prognosis was between four and six weeks.

Four weeks would see him out until the split – the final match before then is Aberdeen away on April 13, just under four weeks away.

Then there is a break for the Scottish Cup semifinals and the post-split matches begin in just under six weeks’ time.

Back: End of April/start of May.

JOSH MULLIGAN Dundee academy graduate Mulligan has been unfortunate at times this season.

Earlier in the campaign, he got back in the team but was unfairly red-carded against Kilmarnock and then picked up an injury on the back of the suspension.

That saw him miss out on Scotland duty with the U-21s. That has repeated itself with this injury.

Again, this hamstring injury comes off the back of a home game against Kilmarnock, a game in which Mulligan impressed in the middle of the park.

Now, though, he’s in the physio’s room once more.

Back: End of April/start of May.

JORDAN MCGHEE Now a Dundee stalwart after five years at the club, McGhee was enjoying a fine season.

He’d made the right wing-back position his own and had found a goalscoring touch since the turn of the year.

However, the first half at Celtic added injury to insult – with the team 6-0 down at half-time, McGhee limped off.

The calf injury has kept him out of the following two games.

It is hoped he will be available to face St Johnstone in just over a weeks’ time.

Back: St Johnstone or Motherwell.

DIEGO PINEDA

It’s not been the happiest of moves across the Atlantic for Diego Pineda.

The Mexican hasn’t started a game since July, making three substitute appearances since.

And he’s been out with a calf injury for some time now. But his return to fitness is nigh.

Back: St Johnstone.

CURTIS MAIN

After a slow start to life at Dundee, Main was beginning to come into his own in recent games.

His partnership with Scott Tiffoney was flourishing. However, a hamstring injury has interrupted that.

The striker is now out for the next three to four weeks.

That’s likely to see him miss the next four games before the split, though an early recovery could see him fit to face Aberdeen on April 13.

Back: After the split.

ZACH ROBINSON Championship title hero Robinson went over his ankle while Dundee trained indoors ahead of their trip to Celtic Park.

The on-loan attacker has struggled to maintain a first-team spot this season in the Premiership but still has six goals to his name in all competitions.

That injury came at the end of February with Robinson expected to be out for three weeks.

Back: St Johnstone.

TREVOR CARSON Dundee No 1 Carson missed the last two games with a troublesome knee issue.

Earlier in the campaign, he avoided Astroturf matches because of it.

Now, though, it’s kept him out for a bit of time – he’d also been ruled out of the Rangers game.

Back: Unknown.

RYAN HOWLEY On-loan Coventry City kid Ryan Howley has been out since the 4-1 win at Livingston back in January.

The Wales U-21 international has missed nine games after picking up a nasty hamstring injury.

But he’s due back in training before the trip to Perth.

Back: St Johnstone.