David Gray has spoken of his pride at being appointed head coach at Hibs.
And he insists that he understands to demands and expectations of the fans. He has also told his players that when successful Easter Road is a fantastic place play.
Speaking alongside director of football Malky MacKay at the club’s training centre, the former captain who lifted the Scottish Cup after scoring the winning goal in the 2016 final said: “I fully understand the demands of the football club, the expectations around being a player here.
“I know what it feels like to be successful. I also understand that when things aren’t going well, that you look at the size of this club and the expectation we’ve got, the facilities and the resources, it needs to be doing better.
“I am fully aware of that and I take it on board every single day.
“The message going back to the players will be that if we can get this right, and I firmly believe we will, then it’s a fantastic place to be.
“We’re lucky to be at such a good club and for me personally to have this opportunity for my first full-time head coach job to lead this football club is a very proud moment and a special one.”
Mackay added: “What you will see is people on the pitch who are going to sweat for the jersey and staff who are in here from seven in the morning until late at night.
“Already I’ve seen that people want to work for David Gray and that’s a great starting point.
“I’ve been in the building now for two or three weeks and there’s a lot of good people here that I think just needed direction.
“I think that’s what was needed and certainly on the training ground. Direction was needed.
“We’ve obviously now got our head coach in and there’s a momentum of people who desperately want to work for David for the good of the club and the badge.
“There’s obviously a harmony within the staff of the football club and a direction that’s communicated towards. That makes people push in the one direction and it’s a big thing for all of us.”
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
