Dundee’s April stalemate with Rangers was significant for more off-pitch than on-pitch matters.
It brought an end to the saga of the Premiership match that refused to be played – completed at the third time of asking amid serious Dens Park pitch problems.
The Dark Blues had already secured a top-six place a few days previously with another 0-0 draw at Aberdeen.
However, one major on-pitch matter arose early on and resulted in Dundee losing their influential captain Joe Shaughnessy for the remainder of their chase for European football.
His is an absence still keenly felt at Dens Park as he continues his recovery from a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.
Shaughnessy may still be months away from returning to the pitch in dark blue. However, the Dundee skipper can “see the light at the end of the tunnel” as he sits down to speak with Courier Sport.
‘No pain’
For the entire 2023/24 season, skipper Joe Shaughnessy had missed just 45 minutes of football as he took to the rough Dens pitch that had taken plenty of punishment over previous months.
However, the team would have to cope without the Irishman for the remainder of the home clash with the Gers. And every match since.
Ten minutes into the contest, an innocuous moment in the middle of the pitch saw Shaughnessy sit down and ask for treatment.
“There was no pain, no pain at all. It didn’t swell up either,” Shaughnessy exclusively told Courier Sport.
“The game was Rangers and there’s no one near me.
“I think I was running backwards and one of their players got past Big Mo [Sylla].
“So I thought I’ll have to step forward to go and get him. I stepped forward and as I pushed off I just heard a pop.
“I just heard a pop and sat down. There wasn’t any rolling around or anything, I just sat down.
“I think that’s probably why they never kicked the ball out!
“I remember sitting down thinking surely someone will kick out. They didn’t so I got up and tried to run and then I was like ‘nah, no point’ so I just sat down again.
“But again no pain and the ref then looked at me and I said to get the physios on.
“I was just like ‘ah just let me try to jog it off’ because again I was in no pain and then I went to straighten it and it just kind of felt like there was nothing in there.
‘Could have been worse’
“I remember someone saying because I’ve no pain, no swelling or anything that can mean that it was a full rupture.
“There was no pain from then until the surgery. I think I was lucky enough because it was just really the ACL that was damaged so surgery was relatively straightforward.
“Often when people get a ruptured ACL they maybe damage the meniscus or something else but mine only had a slight tear in one of the other ligaments.
“That just healed itself so the only thing the surgeon had to do was replace the ACL.
“I look at it now and it could obviously have been worse.”
The biggest struggle
It could have been worse but Shaughnessy’s first long-term injury of a 13-year senior career has kept him out for the last seven months.
The longest he’d been out previously was three months at Southend so there has been a learning curve for the skipper.
“I’ve coped well but there’s been times when it’s been tough,” he said.
“The struggle I really had over summer was how do I still have an effect on the team as captain.
“I’m not on the pitch, I’m not on the training pitch.
“You still feel that responsibility and you’ve got new lads coming in and I’m trying to help.
“But any time I’ve been captain at any of my clubs the main thing that I do is I’m always on the training pitch and always available. Not so much shouting but always training, always there.
“That’s what I’ve struggled with. How do you have an impact on the team when I can’t do what my captaincy has always been about?
“Now in the dressing-room maybe I have to go a little bit outside my comfort zone where I talk more, help the defenders around games and things like that.”
Dundee defence
Dundee’s defence this season has come in for plenty of criticism after conceding 24 goals in 12 Premiership matches.
The new backline is a youthful one and one that is missing an experienced campaigner.
“I’m usually fine Monday to Friday and then it gets to Saturday and you’re sitting watching the games and realise not only that I can’t help but it’s that I’m not going to be available for months.
“It’s not like I’m going to be in next week.
“I’d love to be able to go on and have an impact.
“I’ll be up on the training pitch helping out but it’s hard because everyone can see they’re probably letting in too many goals and you can’t be out there to help.
“It’s hard.”
Light at end of the tunnel
How long before Shaughnessy is back out helping keep the ball out of the Dundee net is the big question.
The answer isn’t a definitive one, however. And that’s the way Shaughnessy wants to keep it.
Nine months since April 17 is mid-January so that’s a guide to go by.
Shaughnessy, though, is keeping his mind only on the step immediately in front of him.
“I’ve not really had any setbacks or anything so far,” the Dundee skipper added.
“I’m getting stronger and feeling fitter every week and doing a lot of good work with the physios and stuff so I feel quite positive about it.
“I’m starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel now.
“I’m now running on the pitch, doing a bit of change of direction stuff.
“There’s times earlier on in the rehab when I’m just up in the gym for three hours at a time and not getting outside.
“Now at least I’m on the side of the pitch running and seeing the training and it just feels like I can see the light so it feels like it’s getting closer.
Target date?
“Usually they say nine months.
“If you come back before nine months the chance of recurrence is higher.
“I’ve said to the physios I don’t want them to give me a date because if something happens and I miss that date then I just don’t need that.
“I’m taking it week by week and I’ll be fit when I’m fit.
“I know nobody’s trying to sabotage me, nobody’s going to keep me out longer than they need to.
“The risks are too high for me to be back too early. I’m 32 now, be 33 next summer, and I’m out of contract so the last thing I want to do is rush back six weeks early and then a month later I’m breaking down again.
“If I break down it’s no good to anyone.
“I’d love to be back sooner but you don’t want to mess with an ACL injury.
“I’d love to be back, you know, in a month but I’m not there yet.
“I’m not even joining training so still be another few months.
“But I’m confident in the work that the physios are doing, I trust in them and when the time comes I’ll be ready to go.”
Conversation