Kevin McNaughton targets Caley Thistle return before he considers retirement
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INJURED Caley Thistle defender Kevin McNaughton wants to make a comeback before the end of the season – as it may be his last.
Sidelined with an achilles injury since August, it had been feared McNaughton would be out for the rest of the season.
However, he is ahead of schedule with his rehabilitation and hopes to feature again before the end of the campaign.
Given that his last three seasons have been derailed by serious injuries, retirement is something he will consider and the end of the season, if his body is unable to go again.
For now the focus is on making a competitive return for the Caley Jags, something which did not look likely a month ago.
“I’m at the tail end of my career I want to play as much as possible so I will be trying to push it back as quickly as possible,” he said.
“It’s definitely a little bit ahead of schedule so hopefully it just keeps progressing the way it has been which has been pretty good so far, we’ll see how we get on.
“I’ve always said, to the missus as well, that if I feel like I’m not able to play to the standard I want then I’ll stop. There’s no point in just keeping battering on if my body is feeling it.
“I got myself really fit at the start of the season, worked really hard over the summer, so I want to give myself a chance. I’m going to work hard again and get back into shape and see where I am at the end of the season. If I get back playing before the end of the season then I’ll probably have another year, take it from there but I’ll see where I am.
“It’s quite a big decision but it’s one, as I’ve got older, I’ve been thinking about for the last couple of years. It will be a decision I will probably make before the end of the season.”
In a candid interview, the former Scotland international also admitted it has been a testing experience being confined to the gym every day, something which team-mate Aaron Doran also admitted to during his time out.
“It’s horrible. It’s just the day in day out, going to the gym everyday – it’s the boredom,” said McNaughton. “I’m not a big fan of getting on bikes and going on rowers but they have been my best friend over the last few weeks.
“I’m just trying to work on other things, trying to build up strength in other parts of my legs. I have been injured in the past and it’s not fun.
“I’m at a ‘not bad’ stage now where I’m beginning to progress on bikes, so it’s when I get back up jogging I’ll hopefully be able to turn a bit of a corner – mentally anyway.
“The first month my head was all over the shop to be honest but once you get over that, you’ve just got to get back to working, trying to get back into the swing of things.”
McNaughton, who counts Aberdeen, Cardiff, Bolton and Wigan among his former clubs, signed a one-year deal with Inverness in the summer.
During his time at Cardiff, he played in the 2008 FA Cup Final, the Championship play-off final two years later and the League Cup Final in 2012.
The 34-year-old was also a regular in the Bluebirds promotion push in 2013.
A broken leg kept him out of the majority of last season with Wigan, as they stormed back from relegation to win League One, but he has been putting his experiences to good use.
During his time out, McNaughton has been assisting Development League coach Duncan Shearer and coaching is an avenue he is considering exploring in the future.
“It’s enjoyable because you’re giving something back as well,” he said. “I’ve been pretty lucky in my career in terms of the sort of experiences I’ve had, playing in finals and playing in big stadiums, so with these boys I just try to hand them as much advice as I can.
“Coaching is something that I’ve been thinking about. I just wanted to see if I enjoyed it this season, just helping out.
“It’s been good so far. I obviously have to sort out my badges, so I might do them in the summer.”
The Caley Jags expect to be without Liam Polworth for a substantial time after scans revealed ankle ligament damage.
Results were still awaited as the Inverness Courier went to press but he will definitely miss the Aberdeen game a week tomorrow.
