Dundee boss James McPake blasts SPFL for ’embarrassing’ decision to reject request to postpone Aberdeen clash

Dundee boss James McPake has blasted the SPFL for incompetence in rejecting a request to postpone today’s fixture at Aberdeen.

On the morning of the trip to Pittodrie, Covid testing return a positive case and a further five players having to self-isolate as close contacts.

On top of a number of injuries, that meant the Dark Blues were reduced to just 14 fit players, three of them goalkeepers.

To bolster their numbers, assistant manager Dave Mackay has been registered and named on the bench for the fixture.

‘I’m putting him at risk’

Speaking to the BBC, McPake said: “We all know what we’re going through but I’m astonished we’re in this situation.

“This isn’t about the game because we believe we can get a positive result.

“When you talk about safety, Alex Jakubiak has been out 12 weeks and has played 10 minutes of football.

“I’ve gone against medical advice to even put him on the bench last week. He gave me 10 minutes.

“He is now deemed a fit player and starts today. I’m putting him at risk.

“Jordan Marshall has had one day training. He’s a massive player for us and he’s at risk because he wasn’t starting today. That’s another one.

“On the bench I have a young lad who hasn’t played a minute’s first-team football.

“I have a 40-year-old doing us a turn because we needed another sub. It’s either that or a goalkeeper.

Covid case

“The Covid [situation] happened this morning. I was made aware of it at 8am.

“It’s not sporting integrity because we have a strong team but it has happened to other teams.

“It can’t just be black and white, there has to be a consideration for people’s health.

“I have a player who’s partner had a baby this week and he’s got to go back home to that child tonight.

“For the SPFL to make such a rushed decision to put us on two buses all for the sake of getting a game of football played. We have five free midweeks, so have Aberdeen.

“I’ll probably get in trouble for saying how incompetent and how poor a decision I think this is.

“It is ridiculously poor and it is putting the health of everyone in the stadium at risk.

“It’s embarrassing for Scottish football.”

Dundee postponement request rejected by SPFL after positive Covid case ahead of Aberdeen clash