Dunfermline Athletic boss James McPake has spoken of his delight at the welcome return of Alex Jakubiak and Matty Todd for Friday night’s clash with Partick Thistle.
Todd has been sidelined since the 1-1 draw with Arbroath on December 23 because of a hamstring injury.
The same problem has kept Jakubiak out of action since the 2-1 defeat to Queen’s Park on January 5.
Both have been back in training and are expected to make their comebacks against Thistle in a crucial game at Firhill.
Jakubiak, signed in September after three seasons with Dundee, had just hit hit a rich vein of form and bagged his first two goals for the club in the 2-2 draw with Ayr United on December 30.
But Todd’s campaign has been a personal nightmare as he has managed just nine appearances due to ankle ligament damage and his recent hamstring issue.
The ankle injury required an operation and followed on quickly from surgery to remove his appendix and to fix a nasal problem.
However, McPake is thrilled to see the return of both players significantly strengthen his squad.
Todd and Jakubiak ‘looking brilliant’
He said: “Matty Todd and Alex Jakubiak are genuinely looking brilliant. The two of them have trained all week.
“It is that wee thing, the two of them are trying to tease you – look how good we are looking – and you are thinking ‘do we start them?’
“We just need to err on the side of caution.
“We just need to be careful and make sure that they are recovering properly and that we are not risking anything with them.
“But both of them will be in the squad for Friday.
“Those two coming in, you’ve got options to add everywhere, really.
“Matty Todd can play midfield, he can play high in a front three, he can play as a number ten.
“Jakubiak is very similar. He can play off a side, or as a central striker, or a striker in a two.”
Although Dunfermline have, on the whole, had other attackers to fill Jakubiak’s void, the absence of Todd has been a massive miss for the Pars.
The 22-year-old made his debut for the club shortly after his 17th birthday and should make his 100th appearance for the club in the remainder of the campaign.
Pars ace ‘a real goal threat’
He made 31 league outings last season, scoring nine goals as the Fifers stormed to the League One title.
McPake added: “He’s different to not just most players in our squad, but most players in any squad in this league with his forward runs.
“But, not just that, he’s a real goal threat. The numbers he hits in terms of getting about the pitch, he can look after the ball.
“And I know he’s played here as a right-back at times as well. So, he’s got a real game intelligence about him for such a young kid.
“A Matty Todd in our team would have been perfect this year in this league.
“I’m delighted to get him back. He’s worked hard again, showed real maturity really to come through that injury again, and then to come back and hit the ground running in training.
“He’s a player I love working with. He takes information on, he’s desperate to get better, and we’re desperate to get him back as well.
“Because Matty Todd – and Alex Jakubiak – in our squad makes it a far better squad.
“Whether he’s starting the game, coming off the bench or just taking part in training, he’s a very good player, and one that we’ve badly missed, in my opinion.”
