The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Dark Blues boosted by shrinking injury list
DUNDEE: McCann’s selection options widen as host of players return to training after lay-offs
Dundee boss Neil McCann admits he is delighted there is finally some light at the end of the tunnel as injuries start to clear.
Front men Craig Wighton and Marcus Haber will still be on the sidelines for some time with their knee and thigh problems.
However, others such as skipper Darren O’Dea, Sofien Moussa, Julen Etxabeguren and Kosta Gadzhalov have all returned to fitness alongside new signing, former Inverness centre-half Josh Meekings who has been working his way back from a knee injury.
With other recent additions, former Athletic Bilbao defender Jon Aurtenetxe and on-loan Shrewsbury Town striker A-Jay Leitch-Smith, also taking part, the manager was able to fully implement a lot of his ideas at training ahead of tomorrow’s game against Rangers at Ibrox.
McCann said: “We had a second opinion on whether we can accelerate Marcus’s recovery but we can’t so he will be out for a bit longer term. “So we will just have to be patient with it. “Kosta is back training but just with some of the younger boys today.”
“Moussa has returned to training so whether we take a risk with him, I don’t know,” added the boss. “But at least he is back and looking good.
“Darren is back training, while Jules and Josh have also returned and are full on with the first team again.
“I am delighted to have Josh at the club but I also have to say Jules is looking superb.
“Both are brilliant boys in terms of attitude to their rehab and in training – they have been exceptional.
“They have been out for a long time but both are great in their attitude to work so hopefully we may get them a game next week.
“So the squad is really healthy now which is brilliant.
“It allowed me and Graham (assistant boss Gartland) to have a good session and implement things we want to work on with smaller numbers because I like to work with three teams.
“It let us get a lot of good work in today which was great.”
McCann also admitted he was delighted to be able to snap up a player of Aurtenetxe’s calibre and he admitted he had been impressed by the Spaniard’s levels of fitness.
He added: “Jon is here to provide competition.
“We sat and wrote down the positions and each one now has competition and that’s great for us. “The boys know that and it is brilliant. “Jon has been playing over in Spain for a local side but he has a wonderful CV. He has played in a Europa League final and a couple of Copa del Reys as well.
“He always looks as if he is playing within himself and I wasn’t sure how fit he would be. But we tested him and his results were absolutely fantastic so it is just about integrating with the squad now and understanding how we work.”
As for Leitch-Smith, McCann is certain he will add an extra dimension at Dens.
He said: “A-Jay has looked really sharp. He is a different type of striker to the other ones we have here.
“He likes to play off the shoulder and he will dart in behind people.
“So Sofien is back training, A-Jay is looking sharp and Faissal (El Bakhtaoui) is fit so it is a wee bit brighter up front and gives us options.”