Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Gallagher heads to specialist as old issue flares up once more
DUNDEE United defender Declan Gallagher will visit a specialist today as he struggles with a persistent groin issue.
The Scotland international missed the Tangerines’ 2-0 win over Raith Rovers on Saturday, with Sam McClelland deputising with aplomb alongside Ross Graham.
And the Tannadice outfit will take expert advice regarding the best course of action with Gallagher’s recovery.
Gallagher underwent surgery to repair a groin issue in January and, while that operation was a success, the latest setback is in the same area.
“Gall is going to see a specialist on Wednesday, so we’ll see what the outcome of that is and what the specialist advises us in terms of the rehabilitation,” said boss Jim Goodwin.
“It’s a bit of a strange one.
“He’s had the surgery and the injury is repaired, so hopefully there’s nothing too sinister there.
“It’s still in that area. They’ve repaired the groin, but it’s a hernia-type injury, which is something that can happen to senior players – a wear-and-tear issue. It’s grumbling away, and we need it to be right.
“There are a lot of players who can get by at 70% or 80% of their full fitness, but Gall is feeling 50/50 at the moment and it’s giving him a lot of discomfort.”
Meanwhile, Kevin Holt faces a race against time to play any part in United’s Championship title run-in.
A scan on the knee injury he suffered against Inverness a fortnight ago has confirmed ligament damage, albeit less severe than Tannadice medical chiefs initially feared.
“He has some ligament damage and it’ll be touch and go whether we see
Kev before the end of the season,” said Goodwin.
“It’s not as bad as we first feared and it doesn’t look like it’ll require surgery, which is great news.
“It’s just a matter of how long the healing process will take.”
Holt is among a swathe of players out of contract this summer and Goodwin has been clear no extensions can be offered until the club knows what division it will be in next term.
Nevertheless, Holt will be well looked after.
“We’ll see him right, absolutely,” said Goodwin.
“I think he’s probably been the most consistent centre-half in the league.
“Him and Gallagher have been a terrific partnership and pivotal to putting us in the place we are now.”
However, it now appears likely that the more youthful duo of McClelland and Graham will be handed a major role in ensuring the Tangerines get over the line.
Goodwin added: “We are lucky that we have players like Sam McClelland and Ross Graham ready to step in and both of those guys were outstanding against Raith Rovers.
“They deserve to keep their jerseys regardless of anything else.”
United travel to Hampden to face Queen’s Park on Saturday seeking to build on a win over Rovers which gave them a four-point lead at the summit of the Championship.
“In terms of the minimum requirement and what we expect from ourselves as a group, that was shown on Saturday,” said Goodwin. “The desire and level of application was superb.
“We can’t afford slip-ups between now and the end of the season and we need that performance again, in terms of organisation, physicality and the battling qualities.”