Gray on Hibs identity and character - press conference Q&A

What will a David Gray team look like?

“I’m not one for philosophies. I don’t like that word. I like to have more of an identity to my team. It’s not about a fixed system, absolutely not. Working in Scotland and being around the leagues as long as I have. The need to be flexible and adaptable is really important. But whatever shape I’m playing there needs to be non-negotiables. The obvious ones is hard work with and without the ball - we attack with 11 and defend with 11 all the time. I think if we can get to the point where we are fitter, my job as coach is to improve every player every day tactically, technically, physically and mentally. That’s the four key areas we will target every single day. Mentally is the big one for me at this moment in time. When you get it right at this club it;s a fantastic place to play. I’ve been so lucky to experience many highs here and that’s the message I will relay to the players all the time - how good this place can be if we get it right. But firstly how important it is to perform every Saturday because the fans will get behind you straight away if you’re showing that level of desire and intensity. That’s what my teams will always have, they’ll be fit and will play with an intensity and aggression with and without the ball.”

Have you felt the players needed some positivity?

“Nobody is shying away from the fact that where we finished last season wasn’t good enough and as a result of that, some people unfortunately lost their jobs. That happens all the time within football. It’s the challenge we face all the time. But the players are the most important part of a football club and we need to try to get the best out of them all the time. It’s our job as coaches to maximise that. But they also need to recognise the responsibility of playing for such a big club and the opportunity to play in fantastic stadiums like Easter Road, Tynecastle, Celtic Park, Ibrox, Pittodrie. I’ve had a taste of it, I’ve lived and breathed it - what it looks like and how successful it is. I can also relate to them because I’ve sat there. I know how good it can be and what it feels like when things are going well. It’s a message I’ll be putting to the players all the time. It’s another reason why I brought the people onto my staff that I did: Craig Samson has come back,he was part of a successful backroom team here before; Liam Craig, who was my captain when I first came to Hibs and he fully understands the club and the pressures and expectations of being here, and Eddie May who has been a massive help to me in every interim spell I’ve had.  He’s been hugely helpful and he’s someone who can be a calming influence every single day with that experience, that knowledge, and that wisdom on the training pitch. I’m very hands-on and enthusiastic in terms of coaching, and Liam will be the same, so Eddie can be the eyes and ears that oversee everything and calm things down and also put that arm around people when needed because he understands the club and the level.”

READ MORE: David Gray on the emotional moment Hibs offered him the job

With the new signings, there's been a lot of emphasis on character - how important is that to getting the club back on track?

It’s really important. When I think back to any successful team of which I’ve been a part, it’s been built on the core of the players who are there. It’s difficult when you lose the likes of Paul Hanlon, Lewis Stevenson, David Marshall - three big characters and exceptional professionals which is why they’ve had the careers they’ve had for as long as they’ve had. When you lose guys like that, it’s important to replace that in your dressing room with some fresh blood, but with a mix of youthfulness and experience. You need to get the blend right. It’s so important. When you think about the investment and the position the club is in, we managed to get the likes of Emiliano Marcondes and Myziane Maolida on loan last season. If we can get the core of the squad right and sprinkle a bit of that over it, it bodes well for Hibs going forward and that’s what we’re working towards all the time.”

Tell us about your conversations with Martin Boyle…

“Every conversation I’ve had with a player so far has just been honest. There’s no need for introductions with the players in the building at the moment because I know them all, I’ve met them, I’ve worked with them, and I know their strengths and weaknesses - and they know me. So it was very easy to have those conversations. Martin is someone who is extremely effective in this league and a massive part of what I would like to do moving forwards.

READ MORE: How Hibs 'spoiled' David Gray's long-awaited family holiday

"It was a straightforward conversation along those lines for me to be able to tell him, ‘this is where I am, this is what I think of you, and I need you to be the type of player I know you can be’.  He’s craving a little bit more responsibility within the group, not just on the pitch because he’s delivered on many occasions for Hibs over the years, but every single day at the training ground. He’s a senior player now and younger ones will look up to him and rightly so, and he’ll continue doing what he has done which is take this club forward.”