Alex Jakubiak determined to prove a point with promotion-chasing Partick Thistle after overcoming injury nightmare at Dundee

Alex Jakubiak will be the first to admit he has a point to prove at Partick Thistle after overcoming the hardest 18 months of his career.

The powerful centre-forward is still searching for his first Jags goal after making five appearances to date since completing a loan move from Premiership strugglers Dundee in January.

Jakubiak, who began his career at English Premier League side Watford, moved to Tayside on a two-year-deal in August 2020 following NINE previous loan spells but injury has severely hampered his progress.

The 25-year-old has spent more time visiting the treatment table than on the pitch at Dens Park, recovering from ankle, thigh, and shoulder injuries which have kept him on the sidelines.

However, Jakubiak, who was a near ever-present during successful stints with Falkirk and St Mirren, reckons being frozen out at Dens Park has provided him with added motivation to re-discover his best form.

The Londoner stated: “Before the opportunity to move here came up I had always been working as hard as I can in training, trying to prove a point at Dundee to get in the team and show what I can do.

“Being allowed to go out on loan made me think I have even more to prove now. I wasn’t even getting a look-in so I think it gave me that extra push.

“It has made me that bit hungrier in terms of showing what I can do. I’m enjoying it. From the first day I came in the boys have made me feel welcome and so has the gaffer.

“It’s an opportunity to play matches. You wake up on a Saturday and you just want to play so when you’re playing these games, you just want to keep the momentum going.

“We are just itching to get to the next game and get going again.”

Jakubiak now finds himself in a position he struggled to envisage at the start of the campaign after departing a Dundee side propping up the Premiership table to the Jags who are sitting third in the Championship and eyeing back-to-back promotions.

He admitted: “It’s kind of strange to come away from Dundee and being at the other end of the scale where there’s the possibility of silverware at the end of it.

“I think because I have been injured it’s not quite the same. If I had been playing it would be different but I am just eager to get games.

“In the first half of the season I only had about four or five games where I was actually fit and able to play. Apart from that I’ve just been with the physio.

“It’s tough when you haven’t scored a goal. Getting that first one out of the way is a bit of pressure and the longer it goes on, it starts playing on your mind.

“For me, as long as the team is winning games that’s the main thing but, of course, from a personal perspective I want to be getting goals and assists.”

Jakubiak has been named on the bench during Thistle’s last two outings as a result of Juan Alegria’s arrival on loan from Rangers.

However, he hopes his performance as a second half substitute in last Friday’s 1-0 victory over Inverness was enough to regain his place in manager Ian McCall’s starting line-up.

He added: “It’s been good (playing with Graham and Alegria) because you can learn different things. We are all different kinds of players so you try and build relationships on and off the pitch.

“Brian is very experienced, he’s scored goals at all levels and showed he can do it so often. Just working with him and seeing how he trains on a day-to-day basis is only going to help improve my game.

“(The gaffer) has not made massive changes recently but the changes he has made have been effective; Connor [Murray] coming in, for example. He has been on fire in training ever since I’ve come in – he’s been the best player in training, I’ll happily say that.

“I think just using him as an example, he deserves his chance in the team like he got the other night. Everyone is pushing hard in training and I think you need that.

“It gives the manager a bit of a headache when everyone is firing on all cylinders in training and making it difficult for the gaffer to pick a side.”

Jakubiak is faced with the potential scenario that could see Thistle pitted against his parent club if they can, at the very least, secure a play-off spot.

He joked: “I’ve thought of it but I don’t know how that would affect me. I’ve got another year at Dundee, so I don’t know who it would be up to. Hopefully Dundee are safe and we go up!”