David Marshall felt the time was right to hang up his gloves, but Malky Mackay was determined to ensure that retirement did not mean leaving Hibs.

The goalkeeper, 39, has immediately moved into a backroom role titled 'technical performance manager' after calling time on an illustrious career earlier this month. A move into coaching is often the preferred route for retirees of Marshall's pedigree and experience, but the former Scotland international intimated to Mackay that this wasn't the road he wished to take.

Marshall has completed a Masters degree in Sport Directorship, and has also taken a place on the board at the Hibernian Community Foundation, and has now moved into, as Mackay puts it, the 'front office'. The sporting director says Marshall will have significant role in talent identification and in pathways for young players, all while working close to Mackay on the 'business side'.

Keeping Marshall around, he says, is all part of a broader push to have 'more and more good people' in important roles at the club. And Mackay firmly believes that Marshall, who he has known since his stint as Cardiff City manager, will now become a valuable off-the-pitch asset for Hibs.

"David's been here for two years and is an absolute model pro," he said. "He's a really popular member of the playing staff, and he was director at the foundation. He's felt it's time for his body to finally chuck it. When I spoke to him - and I know he's been doing his sporting director's masters degree - he didn't want to go down the goalkeeping coaches route, but also not stay out of football.

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"We had a conversation concerning what he did want to do, and he would really like to stay at the club and help. He thinks he's got a lot of value to give the football club - he's been here for two years, he's seen a lot of things. I decided I wanted to bring him in to what we would call the front office, if you think about it in terms of American sports. You bring him into the business side of the club, and bring him into my department.

"The technical performance manager is what we're calling his title, and he's going to really look across the talent ID area, look at the younger players coming through, who we put out on loan, and work on the business side with me. Bearing in mind he played for me at Cardiff, so I've known him a long, long time. I know the fabric of the guy, and the type of man that I've got. He's someone I wanted to make sure we kept in this building, kept working for Hibs because we need good people. The more and more good people that we bring into the building - that have real work ethic and desire to make sure this club works - the better chance we're going to have."

Part one of our exclusive interview with Malky Mackay - revealing the inside story of why Hibs appointed David Gray - is available for subscribers to read HERE.

Part two, focusing on his aims for recruitment and the upcoming summer transfer window, is available for subscribers to read HERE.