How Hibs boss Gray has made Cadden a better player

What's the atmosphere like in the dressing room?

“It's been a tough start to the season but we are trying to look ahead, that's the main focus, especially the two weeks we had in the international break off. 

"We weren't happy, we wanted the game to come as quick as possible, rectify the season, get the season going. 

"It was a tough week last week, we got a good bit of training done and it all focuses on tomorrow which is important."

What more can the players do for the results and for the manager? 

“It's hard because we know the results haven't been good enough and performance hasn't been good enough, we know that. I think looking at yourself first and foremost and how you have done enough and what you are doing on the pitch, that's the main thing. I think in terms of tomorrow it's about mentality, at the end of the day, that's what it's all about. 

“We can do formations, 4-3-3, 3-5-2, whatever he wants to play, 3-5-2, it doesn't really matter unless the mentality is right. That's what our focus is to be on. It's going to be tough as we know but from a player's point of view mentality has got to be spot on."

What have you had to change in the last couple of weeks? 

“I think it's about keeping going and not losing faith; keep working hard and try to make a change instead of hoping it will change.

“Nobody is going to give you anything special in this league so we've got to go and grab it. Dundee won't give us three points on Saturday, we need to go and take the points from them.

"I think having that attitude and trying to take the game by the scruff of the neck and showing fight and desire, which you should do - that's the minimum when you step onto the pitch, especially with a club like Hibs. 

"Go and make things happen, don't just sit and wish and hope for someone else to do it, it's down to you as a player and your responsibility to go and do that yourself."

The board came out and backed the manager but also said that things have to improve... 

“I can't speak for everyone else but personally, I was delighted because we are all behind the manager. I've known the gaffer for a while now and he's been brilliant, he's especially been brilliant to me as a player, a coach and as a manager.

"He's been amazing for me so for me personally. I was absolutely delighted. but we know that results and performance need to change.

“If you've got to do it for anyone, go and do it for the gaffer as well because we all love him and we're all right behind him. 

“That gives you an extra motivation, great but it's getting behind him which we all are and we'll go and try and get three points for us, for Hibs but for him as well."

Is there a feeling that the players have let him down because he has shown a lot of faith in the team? 

“I think when you're losing games of football, I think there's always a feeling of letting people down. The gaffer, the fans, the club - you can go deeper like home with your family, it's not a nice place to be when you are losing games of football. so of course the gaffer comes under that. 

“We've just got to keep going and keep the game going and try and change it. and as well, players, we're the only ones that can change it.

“As I said before, the gaffer can put us whatever tactics he wants, it's us as players that can go and change it. 

“No one else, the living boys and the subs that come on and we've got to have that mentality that we want to go and do that and a game can't come quick enough because the only way it's going to change is with games of football.

How low were things after that St Mirren game when you knew there was going to be a couple of weeks before you could go out and put it right? 

“Listen, being here for a while now, it's a big club. When the good times are good, it's good but when they're bad, it's like any big club, it's tough. and it is low, especially when you've been here for a while and from a personal point of view, it's tough because you care, you really want to do well, you've worked so hard to get to a big club, to get to a stage like this and one of the biggest clubs in the country and you want it to be a success, that's what you want.

"It's low but that's the nature of being at a big club, you've just got to pick yourself up and this is what you signed up for at the end of the day when you sign the contract with Hibs, it's tough but the good times do make it worthwhile, so hopefully we can get to that and kick on from Saturday."

You know that a win at Dundee takes you off the bottom of the table, for at least a few hours?

“I think it's a big week as well. but starting with Dundee, there is an opportunity to go and turn the season around and kick start from here and maybe use this as look back and say, 'Dundee was when the season really kicked off and we really got going from there' so it's an opportunity and we've got to take full advantage of it.

What can you tell us about the level of preparation and information you get so you understand things when you're out there? 

“I think that's the frustrating thing because we're going out with as much information, as much detail and everything about the team we're coming up against and the way the gaffer prepares us and the coaching staff as well has been brilliant.

“It's down to us as players. I don't think we can ask for any more from the manager or his coaching staff at all in terms of preparation and the way that we're looked after here, the facilities we've got, everything, it's brilliant.

"We can't really ask for much more, it does just come down to the players and we've got to show that that's working. So in looking at yourself, that's what we've got to do as players, we've got to be accountable for what we do, how can we get better?

"Because it's not good enough, we know that. The size of the club and the quality we've got in the room as well, it's not good enough where we are. so we've got to look at ourselves first and foremost and how can we get better as well."

Is there anything specific to explain why he's been so good to you? 

“I came in at the back-end of the gaffer's playing career and he moved into coaching and when he was a coach he had a bit more time to work specifically with different players.

"The amount of meetings I've had, the amount of sitting in rooms watching clips of myself, what thinks I can improve on, what he thinks I'm good at, what I should keep doing.

“For example, when I was coming back from my Achilles injury, I played a reserve game against Ayr United, down at a juniors' park, and he watched the full game. Me and him then sat through the clips and he spoke to me about what he thinks and working to get better and just little things like that. 

“Another example was when I was making a comeback from the injury, and I was coming in for training before the boys had games, the gaffer would come in early on a Saturday to come and train me and then go to the game when Nick Montgomery was the manager.

“It was little things like that. He's been unbelievable to me, he's been a really big influence on my career since I've been here."

So he does improve players? That's a modern thing for managers, isn't it? 

“Aye, well I can only say for myself, but I think he's improved me 100 per cent.

"He obviously wants players to keep getting better as well - that's my personal experience and he's been doing that for me but he keeps making me want to work hard and get better as well."