David Gray admits he's had to break the habit of a lifetime in his first transfer window as a manager - not texting people back.

Gone are the days when, even as an assistant coach, he could head home and switch the phone off, even when it's his better half on the other end of the call. Being Hibs head coach has become a 24/7 endeavour for Gray, and his ascension into the role has coincided with a busy summer of rebuilding. Nine new faces have arrived so far, with the club aiming to add even more before Friday night's 11pm deadline.

Hibs remain interested in signing Dundee's Luke McCowan, and have turned their attention to alternative defensive targets after a potential move to loan Bournemouth centre-back Owen Bevan was scuppered by injury for the second successive window. Gray says he's been fully supported by sporting director Malky Mackay and the club's board, but that dealing with the demands of the window has been a significant change for him to adjust to.

“I'd probably better ask my missus that question because I hate my phone normally!" he said. "She's trying to phone me and I never answer it. I’m terrible for not getting back to people normally. I've obviously had to change that. Previously I used to come to work, go home, turn the phone off and come to work the next day.

"Even as a player that was what I was like. My mates would text me and I'd get back to them three or four days later. They’d just think I was being my usual miserable self! You can't really get away with that now. I have to get back to people. I have to make sure that you're keeping people in the loop.

“It's rude for a start. I'm aware of that. That's probably been the biggest change in my life. You have to return people's phone calls and get back to people and tell people your opinion and what actually matters. That's probably been the biggest change. My missus will probably be watching saying you still don't answer the phone to me.

"But it's been good. I think it's something else that you have to add to your daily things that are happening around the club. I’m fortunate with the structure that's currently here. I've got a lot of experience beside me as well. With Malky coming in and the guys like Ben and Ian that are working ever so hard along with the recruitment department that's there. Everyone's pulling in the same direction to try and identify the targets as early as we can and work towards doing what's right for the club.

“I've enjoyed that side to it because there is a responsibility. Previously I would get asked my opinion on players for example but that's just what it was. It was just your opinion whereas now you're in the decision making where it really matters when you're bringing these players to what orders are building or asking players to move on or whatever it might be."

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Gray puts the many 'variables' among the biggest challenges of the window. With Bevan's situation being the case in point, things can change very quickly and the head coach has learned the importance of being prepared for all scenarios. He's repeatedly stressed the importance of being proactive, and chances are that will apply more than ever across what could be a busy deadline day at Easter Road.

You think you're somewhere with something and then all of a sudden a variable comes in where he's no longer available, or a different club do something completely different, or the player no longer wants to come, or they might get injured," said Gray. "There's all sorts of things within that that changes all the time.
“That's the whole point of what I'm saying now which is about being proactive as you can. You can't just have one target because that could change at any time. You need to be proactive. You also need to be ready that if you were to lose a player for whatever reason, have we got the resources there available to find a replacement quickly?

“Firstly I would always look at is there someone already in the building that can do that job? Is there someone in the academy that can step up to make that jump up? Because that's what you want to do. You want to recruit from within. You want to improve the younger players. That's when the process will start to make sure you're doing your due diligence and making sure everyone's pulling in the same direction."