Jordan McGhee urges Dundee to use Dingwall disappointment as fuel for Hibs test as he opens up on injury comeback

Pain-free and ready to go, Dundee’s Jordan McGhee is targeting the return to the kind of form that helped drive the Dark Blues to promotion.

After being transformed into a box-to-box midfield man, the 25-year-old played a key role in last season’s late surge up through the play-offs.

This term, he’s not quite hit those heights after struggling with a persistent knee injury that eventually required surgery last month.

His return to the pitch may not have been a happy one in Saturday’s 3-2 reverse at Ross County but he’s determined to help Dundee improve their lot over the next few games.

“I’m delighted to be back but it was a difficult game to come on to, especially just 10 minutes in. It was pretty frantic,” McGhee said.

“But the manager knows I’ll be ready when called upon, whatever position.

“Hopefully, I can build up my fitness and start to show the form I have shown before with Dundee.”

Operation

Manager James McPake revealed McGhee had been playing through the pain before taking the opportunity of a three-week break in fixtures to sort the problem.

Though he wanted to keep helping the side out, with the injury showing no signs of healing on its own, McGhee admits there was no other option but to go under the knife.

He said: “I knew myself. I had a lot of conversations with the gaffer because I was playing through pain.

“I was hoping it was going to die down.

“The gaffer looked after me, pulling me out of certain games and was just honest with me.

“But we got it scanned and things needed sorted.

“Big thanks to Gerry (Docherty) and the club for looking after me, getting me sorted as soon as possible.

“The operation got a bit complicated but it was key-hole so I got back quick.”

‘Tough to stomach’

After an hour in the Highlands on Saturday, it looked like being a happy return for the versatile McGhee.

However, dreadful defensive mistakes proved costly in the second half as Dundee gave up a 2-1 lead to lose 3-2.

And McGhee accepts better is needed to keep the Dark Blues in the Premiership.

“We’re gutted. We should have put the game to bed 10 minutes into the second half.

“Obviously three occasions we don’t defend well enough, we don’t see the danger and they capitalised on it.

“We wanted to keep our run going and to look up the table. A win would have set us up nicely for a big game against Hibs on Tuesday.

“Saturday was a tough one to stomach and it hurts but we need to use that for fuel for Tuesday and the rest of the season.

“We need to be a bit more clever when we are in front.”