Dundee captain Simon Murray has revealed he played through a partially torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) last season, risking a potential 12- to 14-month layoff if his knee gave way completely. The 34-year-old striker kept the injury secret to help his beloved club fight relegation.
Murray's Secret Gamble
Murray said: “I partially tore my ACL in my left knee. Potentially, I could have needed an operation. That would have meant I would have been out for 12 to 14 months but thankfully it has healed.” He added that the advice he received was that playing was a risk, but “I felt at that time the team needed me.”
The veteran forward admitted his performances suffered early in the season, partly due to the mental burden of playing with the injury. “I never let on that I could potentially have been out for 12 months,” he said. As the season progressed, his knee stabilised, and since February or March he has felt “pretty solid.”
Critics and Comeback
Murray faced criticism from fans who questioned whether his legs had gone. He now aims to prove them wrong after a strong pre-season. “My legs are the strongest they've ever been. I was doing gym sessions five times a week in the off-season with proper heavy weights,” he said. He also noted that he hit his fastest speed in training two or three weeks ago.
“People have doubted me through my whole career. Everyone gets doubted. The top players in the world get doubted,” Murray added. “I love having that little bit between the teeth to just go and prove everyone wrong.”
Dundee's Fresh Start
Dundee open their Premier Sports Cup campaign at home against Airdrie on Saturday, looking to turn the tables on last season's 1-0 defeat to the same opponents in Steven Pressley’s first game. Murray said: “Obviously last season we got off on the wrong foot. It was tough. We weren't in a good space at this time last year. Now, we know what the manager wants.”
The club have changed shape slightly and have had time to work on the manager's principles. Murray added: “It’s a competition we want to go far in and give our fans something. Dundee hasn't had much success in a lot of years in terms of cups, so we want to try to put our marker down. You can set the tone for the season as well.”
Dundee will be without injured midfielder Fin Robertson and Zan Besir, who is still awaiting his visa, but new signing Owen Bevan should be included in the squad.
