Head coach David Gray spoke to the media ahead of Hibs' Edinburgh derby clash with Hearts on Sunday. Here's everything he had to say...

David, how has this week been for you in terms of trying to lift everybody after what happened at the weekend? 

"Sometimes you don't need to say too much at all, with the disappointment straight after the game, but when you see what faces you when the players come back in, there's been anger and disappointment at the start of the week, but also an opportunity that sits in front of us. 

"I've really felt it this week in training, a little bit of bite in sessions, people are champing at the bit to try to get into the team because we're not winning games so everybody's putting their hand up trying to get into the team and it's been really healthy this week from that point of view."

Is discipline a problem? You've spoken particularly about a couple of red cards that have come recently, but in terms of defensive discipline as well, you're losing those two goals, particularly on Saturday afternoon.

"I think when we go down to ten men, the decision-making we're making at times is definitely a problem. We need to fix it, we know that. I've said many times, that nobody does these things on purpose. In the context of Joe's second yellow card, there's nobody more disappointed than him. He feels that and rightly so because he knows he shouldn't do what he does. 

"I've spoken to the players during the times when we do make mistakes. This is when you need to rally around your teammates and work even harder to go to extra lengths to make sure that you dig your mate out of the hole.

"I think that's something we need to definitely get better at and all you can do is address the issues as quickly as you can and talk about them and try and learn from them as quickly as you can."

When does it become a crisis or is it one already?

"No, it's not a crisis. I think it needs to be better. I think we all know that.  As I've said to the players, we're not looking for excuses at all. We're not using the fact that we went down to 10 men in the last two games as an excuse for not getting results in the last two. 

"Is it a factor? Of course it is. I think momentum in games, there's all sorts of things that go that way against you at times but we also know what's in the group, we also know how good we can be when we do get it right and I've still got that firm belief in everybody involved that we will turn it round."

These are the type of games that, regardless of where they are in the league, a group of fans, whether it be Hibs fans or Hearts fans, can go away happy. Do you put that message out there, forget the league position, just go and win the game on Sunday? 

"You can't forget the league position. Where we find ourselves at the moment isn't good enough and we all know that.  That's what makes it even more frustrating after the game when you look at the league after it and you say, 'Right, it's not good enough'.  We know that. But it's a great opportunity to change that. It'll be a full house at Easter Road. 

"We really need the fans to be right behind us, which I know they will be. They can really play a part in driving us at the start of the game. I'll never forget coming back to Easter Road after the Scottish Cup run we had, in the replay at Easter Road and the way we started the game with the fans right behind us. It really gave us an extra bit of motivation and drive and I really felt it on that day and we need it to be the same way again, right from the first whistle on Sunday. 

"But what lies in front of us is just one game. Whether it's the first game of the season or the last game of the season, like you've touched on, bottom of the league, where we find ourselves at the moment, the derby games are special. They're special games to play in. 

"It's the one you always look for, all the fans will look for it straight away, regardless of who's where in the league. It could be top of the league versus bottom of the league. It doesn't make it any easier or any more in favour of another team. There have been different divisions between us when we've played it.  I know what it means to everybody involved and it's one that I'm really looking forward to for that reason."

You mentioned just how great these games are. It's a spectacle. The players on the pitch, do they have to be calm? Do they not have to get embroiled in what's going on all around them with the noise, with the fans, the supporters, etc? 

"There has to be a calmness, 100 per cent. You need to be calm in the chaos, definitely. You can't allow your emotions to get the better of you or be reckless within the game.

"I think once the game starts though, it's using the momentum and the motivation, what's at stake and what we can get from the game and feeding off the crowd. I think that's something I always loved as a player. The extra noise and enthusiasm to drive you forward can really be a bonus and we need to make sure we have that in the game."

What do you think about the best results you had against Hearts as a player? What were the key ingredients in those performances? 

"I think sometimes it goes against the form guide. It can go against who's playing better, who's got the better team on the day or what you think of going into the game.

"One thing I always thought going into these games is you need to believe you can win. I think that's key regardless of whether you're home or away. I already know what's at stake having played them and experienced them. As I said to the players, they should be really looking forward to it. They should look forward to the challenge. This is why you come and play.

"It's the games that when you do get a positive result you remember forever. I'll never forget the derby games that I've played in and been very fortunate to do that. That's the message to the players. You need to look forward to it and realise the challenge because it is a challenge but it's one they should all look forward to."

Are Hearts a difficult team to analyse with the changes and the tweaks that Neil Critchley has brought in there?

"They've got a game to focus on before they play us. They play tonight so we'll obviously watch that very closely to make sure we see what's going on. The flip side to that is they've got a new manager in charge so their players will be trying to impress him and trying to get into the team. 

"That's always a challenge when a new manager comes in but our full focus has been purely on us and how best we can make sure we get the right result because we know exactly what's ahead of us and what we need to do to do that."

Is this a chance to really change the atmosphere, change the narrative around the start Hibs have made, come away with three points and how that's going to make the fan base feel and the players as well?

"Yes, absolutely. That's the challenge. That's the opportunity. That's the word I've used a lot this week. It's the opportunity to change things. Football has very fine margins which is what we're experiencing at the moment and a lot of that can be flipped the other way. 

"If you look at the goals we've lost late on in games, if we're one or two down, red cards, the excuses are there if we want them but one thing I've always been very consistent with is we're not looking for excuses. 

"We know we need to be better and this is an opportunity to try and change that and how quickly things can change if we do get three points this weekend and really push on from there."

How have you found this period on a personal level? 

"I wouldn't say they're enjoyable, that's for sure. I'm not enjoying it at all from the frustration you get during the game but then I think it's about, as I've mentioned a few times, being measured through it all and trying not to be too high when it's good and too low when things don't go the way you want.

Are there enough positives in the game to make you think you're doing things right? 

"I'll always judge myself first. Was the information I gave right, the decisions I made during the game?  Then the first day back into work is working out how you ca make the players better again?  That's working on areas we need to improve, individual meetings, group meetings, all these things to try to get to where we need to get to.

"I've got a very good squad here, lacking a wee bit of confidence at times maybe in certain things but at the same time, it's in a good place in terms of fitness levels, togetherness within the group and it's about now relaying that onto the pitch and making sure we turn the performances into results because that's what we get judged on at the end of the day."

When you look at the bigger picture, when you can see the dressing room, how confident are you that things will look right in a few weeks, a few months further down the line? 

"Very confident and I think that's because of the hard work we're doing. I felt it on Monday when we came back in here: people are hurting because they know we can be doing better in terms of results.  We're being judged on results. That's what you get paid to do. 

"Being a football player, you don't just get paid to play football, I don't just get paid to coach the team, I get paid to win games of football. That is the ultimate challenge that faces us as players and as staff. We we all know that and we all need to be doing better to make sure that we can get that."

Team news, any changes from last week apart from Joe being out? 

"Obviously Joe will be out. Chris Cadden picked up an injury in the game, we'll just see how he goes and then Nicky Cadden is getting closer all the time as well but apart from that we're looking quite strong."

Is Nicky out for Sunday? 

"Not entirely, no. Nectar will come back from suspension, it seems to be the way it is at the moment - one comes in and then one goes out again but like I've already touched on, we've got good strength and depth but it's all well and good saying that. We need to make sure we're changing and seeing the performances right through and taking what we're doing with the training pitch into the game and making sure we turn this run into a positive one at the start of the weekend."

David, you've mentioned guys putting their hand up, trying really hard to get into the team this week. How much consideration are you giving to making changes, not just the ones you're forced to but just actually shaking things up?

"Every day when the boys come into training they need to know that you need to train as well as you can and try and stake a claim and get into the team. I think no one can say they're safe to play every week.

"At the same time, when I strip it back and look at the performances, or individual performances yes, we're getting punished a lot for individual errors or decision-making at times but I think as a collective we need to stay as strong as we can.

"That's the one thing I would credit the group for. We do need to hold each other accountable so there needs to be individuals standing up and taking accountability for mistakes when they happen but also digging out your mates. The most important thing throughout this whole process is sticking together and working harder and staying on side. 

"I say this every week: the team that starts is very rarely the team that finishes and it will be everybody involved required to make sure we get the right result this weekend and I know nobody wants that more than the group of players."

That's fine for outfielders but your goalkeepers come under pressure, are you tempted to change or do you stick with them?

"100% I believe in the goalkeeper. It's why you put a group of goalkeepers together. I've got a good coach at the club as well working hard on it all the time.  Josef has at times made wrong decisions but he's also made some very good decisions as well so I've not lost any faith in him at all, he's training very hard.

"One thing I do know is when a goalkeeper makes a mistake or an error in a judgement usually they're punished more often than not and it's about obviously reducing that as much as you can. But that goes right through the whole team. It starts right with the centre forward, if he doesn't hold the ball up at one time, making sure we properly demand from each other a little bit more and making sure we're all on the same page.

"It's making sure we're staying together and making sure we're all pulling in the same direction."

How much of Monday was you reading the riot act, and how much of it was them being angry at themselves?

"Yeah, I think there is a bit of both there. I didn't really need to say a lot, especially directly after the game. Everybody knows what happened in the game, when your emotions are as high as they are and with the way the game went it can be quite easy to overreact and potentially say things you might regret.

"Coming back in Monday, obviously I was very disappointed and angry and frustrated but at the same time there's only one thing you can affect which is what was going to happen moving forward. I really felt it in the meeting; there was a real sense of accountability and everybody understanding the position we find ourselves in as a collective.

"We need to change that as quickly as we can because we know we can be better and we know we are better than where we are at the minute in the league but the results tell you differently because the league doesn't lie and that's why we need to change that quickly."

What's the minimum you're going to ask for the players at the weekend, is a win a must? 

"It's a 100% effort to do everything you possibly can to win the game. It's the same going into any game, the added spice to it this weekend is the fact that it's a derby.

"A derby at any stage in the season is a massive game and they are games that the fans crave and demand success in. It could have been any team in the next game - the fact is that we find ourselves in the position we are, and the next result becomes more important than anything else. That's all we're focusing on at the minute."

The record is 1 win in 14 derbies - do you feel maybe owe it to the fans to go out and win this one and turn that narrative around? 

"I think you go out to try to win every game. The mindset is to go and win the game and we'll do everything we possibly can to do that. This is a new group, this is my first derby as a manager and I've got every confidence in the group of players that we've got.

"They're all looking forward to it as well so I think you can only worry about things we can affect.  I can't change the fact that the run we're on isn't great but I can then strip that back to when I've played in derbies and how I've felt in all these games and it all becomes irrelevant because it comes down to who turns up on the day, and who wants it more and that's what I want to see from my players."

You had some brilliant memories in this fixture, was that the cup game you were talking about in the year you won the cup? What was so special about that night? 

"Even the manner in which the game went before, we were 2-0 down with ten minutes to go and came back to draw 2-2, got a goal right at the end of the game and the momentum that comes with that.

"Coming back to Easter Road for the replay, you've obviously got that belief from the way the previous game went, but I felt it straight away in the build-up to the game, going into the game, standing on the pitch just before the game started, the noise and the atmosphere and the expectation and the belief around the stadium to know that we could go and win on the night.

"I really felt it right from the start, we started the game really well, felt it right away, scored within five or ten minutes and then from that moment on I didn't have any doubt that we were going to go and win it.

"I thought we dominated in the game, so I know how big a part the crowd can play, how special they are and we need to make sure we can get on and do it at the weekend, which I'm sure they will."

Are you enjoying the build-up to this game as much as a manager, as you did as a player? 

"How do you answer that question? I think when you're a player, you really look forward to it purely because you worry about yourself and you just look forward to playing in the game. I've obviously got a slightly different challenge this week which is I can't play in the game - as much as I'd like to - but at the same time it's about making sure you prepare the players to know exactly what to expect because some of the boys haven't played in this before.

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"It's the one that you need to look forward to the most, there's no better game to try to turn your season around, to use it as a springboard to kick on for the season. These are the games that I remember, for all the games that I played in, it's the derbies I always looked forward to, so it's a real opportunity for why the players should relish the challenge rather than anything else."

Élie Youan had a big impact on this game 12 months ago, is he ready physically and mentally to potentially do the same this weekend? 

"Is he ready physically? Yes he is. He's someone who's been returning from injury, he's got on a few times in the last couple of weeks, he obviously never got on at the weekend there. But he's been training now for two to three weeks, four weeks maybe, as long as that, he's played in a couple of bounce games, so from a physical point of view he's ready and he comes into contention like every other player at the weekend.

"We've got good strength and depth in wide areas and he definitely gives you that, he's got pace, he's got quality as well, and as you said he's played in these games so you know what to expect. But he's one of three, four, or five players who can all play in that position, so I've not decided on the team to give you an answer on that one."