Gary Bowyer hasn’t given up on seeing Zach Robinson in a Dundee shirt again after he was recalled by parent club AFC Wimbledon.
However, he admits losing his top league goalscorer this season is a huge blow.
Robinson was due to return to the Dark Blues squad for Friday’s trip to Raith Rovers after injury and illness had kept him out for the past six weeks.
Instead he’ll be preparing for Wimbledon’s Saturday trip to Crewe Alexandra after bidding farewell to his Dens Park team-mates on Thursday.
The move comes after assurances from the League Two side that Robinson would see out his season-long loan deal.
‘Very much a surprise’
However, the phone call every Dundee fan dreaded came on Wednesday after the Dons saw a number of their own loanees recalled by Premier League and Championship outfits.
“It was very much a surprise,” Bowyer admitted.
“I had a call teatime on Wednesday. They were very apologetic but you know with a loan there is a recall option.
“Sometimes it works in your favour where if a player hasn’t produced, you can send him back. It’s a roll of the dice.
“Unfortunately we were the unlucky ones.
“Fair play to Zach, they wouldn’t have recalled him if he hadn’t done well so enormous credit to him.
“He left his comfort zone, leaving London and coming up to Dundee.
“It was a big experience for him and I think he matured. He’s definitely got better as a player.
🚀 🔥
Zach Robinson 👏 👏 👏 #thedee pic.twitter.com/maCyTFz66x
— Dundee Football Club (@DundeeFC) September 3, 2022
“He goes with our best wishes. We are really disappointed but we wish him all the best.
“Hopefully we might see him again, you never know. If Wimbledon do business and decide they don’t want him there is a possibility he could come back.
“He was coming back into the squad for Friday and would have been involved.
“But he will be a loss for us, no doubt about that.”
Striker shopping?
With Robinson heading to League Two down south, Zak Rudden is the Dark Blues’ leading scorer.
His penalty against Arbroath on Monday drew him level with Robinson with eight in all competitions.
Also available are Cillian Sheridan, Alex Jakubiak and Derick Osei, though none of that trio have started a game since mid-November.
So will Robinson’s departure see Bowyer go shopping for a striker?
He said: “When we brought Zach in we had Cillian Sheridan and Alex Jakubiak coming back from injury and Derick Osei wasn’t here.
“We only had Zak Rudden but we have the others fit now.
“It is certainly something we will explore if the right one becomes available.
“It won’t be just someone to sit on the bench but someone who can improve the team.”
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