Goedemorgen from the Netherlands on the first full day of Hibernian's pre-season training camp! David Gray and his squad flew out from Edinburgh on Monday, and so did the Hibs Observer with a view to bringing you the latest news and updates from the next few days.
Hibs (and the Hibs Observer) are here for the next week, during which time there will be friendly matches played against MSV Duisburg of Germany, which is behind closed doors on Wednesday, and Greek champions PAOK on Saturday, with the latter open to supporters.
In between times, the players will be put through their paces by Gray and his coaching staff as well as working on tactics, shape, fitness, and much more.
We'll be bringing you the best content from the Netherlands as Hibs continue their pre-season preparations and gear up for the Premier Sports Cup clash away to Elgin City on July 13 ahead of the start of the Scottish Premiership season on August 4. You can expect interviews, video discussion, the latest from David Gray, and more throughout the week.
Who has all travelled?
The only players who haven't travelled are Allan Delfèrriere and Jake Doyle-Hayes, who miss out through illness, and Ewan Henderson. After sitting out Saturday's friendly victory over Edinburgh City Martin Boyle, Rocky Bushiri, Nathan Moriah-Welsh, and Jojo Wollacott will be involved after an extended break following international duty while Élie Youan, who also sat out Saturday's game, has travelled as well. New signings Joe Bursik, Marvin Ekpiteta, and Warren O'Hora are with the squad as well as youngsters Kanayo Megwa, Rudi Molotnikov, and Rory Whittaker.
Full travelling squad: Max Boruc, Joe Bursik, Jojo Wollacott; Chris Cadden, Lewis Miller, Kanayo Megwa, Rory Whittaker, Rocky Bushiri, Marvin Ekpiteta, Riley Harbottle, Warren O'Hora, Nohan Kenneh, Jordan Obita; Luke Amos, Josh Campbell, Dylan Levitt, Rudi Molotnikov, Nathan Moriah-Welsh, Joe Newell; Martin Boyle, Harry McKirdy, Jair Tavares, Dylan Vente, Élie Youan
What has David Gray said?
The head coach is keen to use the time in the Netherlands to prepare his players for the trip to Borough Briggs.
"There are two games in the Netherlands, so we can manage the minutes. Everything is geared up to us being the best prepared as we can be for Elgin in two weeks’ time," he said.
“We want to get a bit of everything out of the trip. You get the benefit of just spending time together as a group, with new players getting to gel quickly. It’s an opportunity for me to get my ideas across, along with the rest of the staff, and really start to work on what we’re going to do moving forward.
“It’s a bit of everything. Gone are the days when you would just run people for running’s sake. There are areas you want to work on - the tactical side will step up over the course of the week as well."
How can I get involved?
To subscribe to the Hibs Observer and get access to all our content, simply navigate to our subscription page HERE and select the package that suits your needs.
You can take out a four-month subscription for £4, or get access for an entire 12 months for £18. Opting for the 12-month subscription ensures you are covered for the best Hibs journalism throughout the season including league and domestic cups and everything in between.
It means you'll be among the first to read our exclusive interviews, full pre-match and in-game coverage, post-match analysis, tactical breakdowns, and much more. And you'll be supporting dedicated, in-depth, thought-provoking journalism that covers your club like nobody else.
Read the rules here