Hibs boss details what key attribute summer signings must have as current crop earn high praise

David Gray’s Hibs side have enjoyed a remarkable upturn in form has seen the Leith club rise to third spot in the Scottish Premiership after a stuttering start to the season.

Hibs now host St Johnstone this Saturday at Easter Road with the best form in the division over the past six matches with the highlights including wins over Hearts and Celtic on home turf. And Gray is already looking ahead to the summer transfer window with the hope that he will be preparing for a long-lasting European campaign.

He says that new signings must be able to handle the “magnitude of the game” in Scotland, and that a strong mentality is a quality he’s on the look out for. The boss - who headed home the winner in the 2016 Scottish Cup final win over Rangers - certainly embodies the mentality that he is after going forward.

English-based players need to be able to handle Hibs and Scottish Premiership

“You definitely look for it within your recruitment process,” Gray explained. “Have they played in big games before? Have they played in derbies before? It might be a young player that’s never experienced any of that, but has he maybe been at a big club previously?

“All these things you have to put into place and consider when you make decisions on bringing players to the club. And it’s definitely something you need to think about when you’re bringing players from. For example, those coming up here from down south up to play.

“Can you deal with the pressure of playing for Hibs? They come up and sometimes it can take them a while to settle. It’s the magnitude of the game, the standard, the level in the stadiums you get to play in, the passion of the fans, everything that goes with it.

“We’ve got a really good product up here in Scotland that I think is improving all the time. You’re seeing what such a big club Hibs are at the moment because we’re being successful and everyone’s talking about it in a real positive way. The club’s huge and the potential for the club’s huge as well.”

Current crop at Easter Road have built up strong mentality after relegation fears

When Hibs shipped four to Dundee at Dens after going a goal down back in late November - it felt like Gray’s side were destined to stay bottom.

We’ve been in this movie before was what the gaffer had to say after a woeful performance. And he was right. But since then, Hibs have found a steely character. They haven’t always played to their best- but they’ve grinded out results and made the most of big moments. The squad have totally transformed their image of being soft to solid.

On his team’s mentality heading into the St Johnstone match, Gray said: “Going into the games with the right frame of mind and the right positive attitude can only be beneficial to the players.

“When you think back to even just a few weeks ago, that one week we played Celtic at home, Dundee United away, and then a massive derby game at home again. That full week shows where the group is, and the mentality of the group to be able to turn out big performances and big results.

“And unfortunately, they’re going to have to keep doing it between now and the end of the season because it’s not going to get any easier! The games aren’t going to get any smaller! And that’s what you want to do as a player. You want to have something to play for. You want to have the rewards or the potential rewards at the end by giving absolutely everything between now and the end.”