Exclusive:Gordon Strachan names Hibs gaffer's most important quality as former Celtic and Scotland boss hails David Gray
Lifelong Hibee ‘proud’ of former Scottish Cup-winning captain
Former Celtic and Scotland boss Gordon Strachan has identified the most important quality that gave poker-faced David Gray the nerve to turn Hibernian’s fortunes around in his first year as Easter Road gaffer. And the lifelong Hibee insists he spotted the first signs of a comeback just as his childhood favourites hit their lowest point in a season of extremes.
Strachan, now technical director at Dundee, was at Dens Park as Hibs slumped to a 4-1 defeat in late November. That was a seventh league defeat of the season for Gray’s men, who won just one of their opening 14 Scottish Premiership games.
Off the back of that loss, which saw Jordan Obita sent off early after Hibs had taken the lead, many feared that first-year head coach Gray was on the brink of being sacked by the club he’d captained to Scottish Cup glory. But the entire campaign was turned on its head courtesy of a dramatic 3-3 draw with Aberdeen just three days later, Hibs eventually putting together a 17-game unbeaten run in the league – and clinching third place in the top flight with a game to spare.
Strachan, speaking in partnership with Esports Insider, admitted he was hugely impressed with the even keel maintained by Gray amid a storm of criticism and concern, the experienced manager saying: “I know how he must have been feeling when it wasn't that great. But he didn't show it to anybody, no matter what was going on.
“It looked like his heart rate was the same. You know, they got beat 4-1 against us, or they beat whoever.
“Beating Hearts, it didn't show. It's a great asset for a manager, that.
“You have to be who you are, and I don't think that's an act with David, I just think that is him. I've never met him; I'd love to meet him. I've said hello a couple of times, but I've never met him.
“I'm really proud of what he's doing, that's for sure. I always like my old teams to do well, but the team that affects most of my family is Hibs.”
Former Man United and Aberdeen star never feared worst
Strachan confesses that he didn’t see Hibs finishing Best of the Rest behind Scottish football’s big two in the table back when they were scuffling along in the relegation zone. But he’s adamant that, even in defeat at Dens, he saw signs of hope.
“Well, the funny thing is, I remember they played Dundee - and they scored first, they played well,” said the former Aberdeen, Manchester United and Scotland star. “And then the left back got sent off.
“Dundee ended up winning 4-1. But after the game, I said to anybody who asked, because there was moaning and groaning from everybody about the result, and I said: ‘Listen, they were all right. They were a good side until they got a man sent off.’
“So I knew they were better than what that result was. A lot better.
“Did I see them making that sort of climb up the league? No, but as I said, from that first 15 minutes, I thought they were the better team than Dundee.
“It's amazing how Dundee think: ‘Oh, we're no bad.’ It looks like the world is ending for Hibs. The graph’s gone a different way after that.
“It was good to see. I'm always happy when they're doing well, because of the number of people I know in the Leith area, it affects them. So if it makes all my friends and family happy, then I'm delighted for that as well.”