Dundee: Neil McCann praises James McPake's mental strength during rehab

Dundee defender James McPake returned to first-team training this week

Dundee manager Neil McCann has praised James McPake for showing the resolve to come back from a broken knee cap.

The 33-year-old defender suffered the injury in January 2016 and has now returned to first-team training.

"You have dark times and I imagine you even contemplate retiring when you get these types of injuries," McCann said.

"I told him it's important not to throw it away and get too deep in those thoughts, because every day you're a step closer to returning."

McPake joined the squad at training this week and McCann says that is the reward for his attitude and determination.

The Dundee manager will not push McPake too hard, though, as the club captain continues to prepare for a return to first-team duty.

"James' spirit and his drive has never been in question. He had those qualities when he played," McCann said, ahead of Saturday's visit of Kilmarnock in the Premiership.

Dundee captain James McPake has been out since breaking his knee cap against Dundee United in January 2016

"He will come back when he's ready. James has got no pressure on him whatsoever to come back.

"It's great for us to see him back on the training ground with his boots. So often when you've got big injuries you don't feel like a footballer anymore. It becomes a real battle of the mental state.

"To get a bit of freedom for him and (to be) back on the training field, where he is close to us and can hear us, it must be great for him and we're delighted for him, but in terms of his comeback, there's no time frames, no pressure."

McCann also explained that winger Danny Williams was allowed to leave the club as a free agent because he was "extremely frustrated" at not featuring for the first team.

"I have to commend him so highly because his attitude was first class, he just didn't feature because I felt there were other boys ahead of him and he felt it was time to move on," McCann said.