Hibernian head coach David Gray insists he isn't one for philosophies when it comes to his team, instead preferring an identity. But he also wants his squad to have a strong core and the right characters.

Following the exits of Paul Hanlon and Lewis Stevenson, Martin Boyle is the longest-serving senior Hibs player at the Scottish Premiership side, having joined in 2015 and been there ever since, bar a brief sojourn in Saudi Arabia. His reputation as a bit of a livewire around the club precedes him - and Gray and sporting director Malky Mackay are both keen to bring in more players with the right character. 

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"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," Gray explained, speaking to the media this week. 

“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 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," he added. 

We don't yet know what a David Gray team will look like, although we might get some early ideas when Hibs make the short trip to face Edinburgh City in a friendly at Meadowbank on Saturday afternoon, shortly before departing on Monday for a week-long training camp in the Netherlands. Just don't ask him what his philosophy is.

“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," he said. 

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“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 one 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 a coach is to improve every player, every day tactically, technically, physically, and mentally. Those are the four key areas we will target every single day.

“Mentality 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 constantly - 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 straightaway 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."

But it's not about Gray, or his coaching staff - all of whom have pre-existing ties to Hibs, which feels significant. It's about the squad, the players, the 11 starters plus subs who are tasked with getting three points on a Saturday. 

"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," he continued. 

“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, and Pittodrie.

“I’ve lived and breathed it; I know what it looks like. I can 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.

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“It’s another reason why I brought the people onto my staff that I did: Craig Samson was part of a successful backroom team here before. Liam Craig was my captain when I first came to Hibs and fully understands the club and the pressures and expectations of being here, and Eddie May has been a massive help to me in every interim spell I’ve had. He’s someone who can be a calming influence every single day with that experience, that knowledge, and that wisdom on the training pitch."