Paul McGinn reveals Motherwell injury comeback target and when he feared the worst after reoccurrence blow
The Motherwell skipper is hoping to bounce back from injury going into next season.
Motherwell captain Paul McGinn has a summer target in mind as he looks to put a tough season with injury behind him.
The experienced defender sustained an injury last pre season that ruled him out weeks before the competitive action got underway, and appeared nine times before another setback. That thigh problem kept him out until January but it flared up again away at Hibs that month and ended his season after just 12 senior matches overall, with an operation needed.
He has signed a new deal to keep him at Fir Park for the 25/26 season, although there is dubiety over who will be in charge after Michael Wimmer’s exit as manager, just a few months from taking over following Stuart Kettlewell’s departure. McGinn has opened up on his injury-hit season.
Paul McGinn on Motherwell injury problems
He told the Motherwell Times: “It's as frustrating as you can get a season to go. I'm just glad that the club did alright on the pitch while that's happening. There's nothing worse than not being able to get in the trenches and you're not able to help. I'm just glad that we weren't proper struggling or anything and now I am just looking forward to the next season.
“There was no indication that I wasn't ready. Even to get through Kilmarnock on their astro, even if it was for half an hour, would normally give you indications. Just obviously my tendon had worn down, so it was going to go at one point I think. At least it didn't drag on until later and it let me get sorted before I was jobless! Initially you just fear the worst because I knew I'd done the same thing again. I thought that it could be me, but I was glad that they could do something about it.
“Hopefully, fingers crossed, we're all good going forward. I think everyone was pretty good in the sense that I was more likely to say it and they were more like “no, just be calm, you'll be fine, you're in good shape otherwise” They were good to keep me calm but obviously when you get to this age, it does start to be that you look forward. The career flies in, so I feel as if I've been doing it a long time and hopefully I still get many years left.”
Motherwell star’s pre season target
Having been injury free for a large chunk of his playing career, the defender knows he’s lucky to have gone without too many fitness concerns, even if that wasn’t on his mind during the early part of rehab. Now attentions turn to pre season which begins later this month, and McGinn hopes to be involved for day one as part of his comeback bid. Speaking before his exit, McGinn praised Wimmer for not pushing him back towards the end of last season.
He said: “I've still just been running and doing some running and all sorts as I've missed so much of the season. I'll get a few weeks, but I should be pretty much ready to go straight away. It was perfect. It was so easy for him just to start putting pressure on. It did kind of make sense what he was saying in terms of if we can get safe and whatever else, then there's no point in taking that risk if I can get an extra three or four weeks for everything to heal over. He was brilliant because it would be easy to try and put some pressure on.
“It would have been easy to have maybe even make little digs about when you're going to be back, but there was nothing like that. He just said make sure you're alright and that's all you can ask for really. The manager came in with a few unreal results early on and just definitely immediately steadied us all.”