Hibs boss making big transfer calls as Deadline Day looms - Gray lays out recruitment role
Blanking phone messages no longer an option for rookie gaffer
David Gray’s telephone etiquette improving is one of those side benefits that he hadn’t really considered when he stepped into frontline football management. When so much hinges on his ability to make or take a call, however, the rookie head coach knows he can’t take the same laid-back approach that once saw mates waiting days for him to even acknowledge a message.
No doubt imagining the reaction of Malky Mackay, Ben Kensell or Ian Gordon if he decided to head home, turn off and tune out of events between now and tomorrow night’s transfer deadline, Gray revealed: “I’m terrible for not getting back to people normally. I've obviously had to change that.
“Previously I used to come to work, go home, turn the phone off and come to work the next day. Even as a player that was what I was like. My mates would text me and I'd get back to them three or four days later. They’d just think I was being my usual miserable self!
“You can't really get away with that now. I have to get back to people. I have to make sure that you're keeping people in the loop.
“It's rude not to, for a start. I'm aware of that. That's probably been the biggest change in my life. You have to return people's phone calls and get back to people and tell people your opinion - and it actually matters.
“That's probably been the biggest change. My missus will probably be reading this and saying: ‘You still don't answer the phone to me …’”
A constantly buzzing phone aside, Gray has embraced his new responsibility as a gaffer with a degree of enthusiasm. Rather than being a backroom coach whose advice could be sought and then either taken on board or ignored, he’s now involved from the first flickering of any deal.
“I think it's something else that you have to add to your daily things that are happening around the club,” he said, adding: ““I've enjoyed that side to it because there is a responsibility.
“Previously I would get asked my opinion on players, for example, but that's just what it was. It was just your opinion whereas now you're in the decision making where it really matters when you're bringing these players in or asking players to move on or whatever it might be.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a question of whether I’m enjoying it or not enjoying it. I think it's just part of being the manager and being in that position and knowing it needs to be done because you want to improve the squad every single day.”
Asked when he gets involved in a transfer, Gray didn’t hesitate before answering: “Very early. You're always looking at the squad. You're always looking at variables. If we were to move, where would you like to strengthen? I think that's just natural.
“Then it's about putting the process of identifying targets positionally. What you're looking for from a profile point of view. It's a process that goes on for a very long time.
“It's not as simple as I want a left back, just go and sign the first left back. There's a lot of hard work that goes into it and there's a lot of variables within that as well.
“It's something I'm learning all the time, but I've probably enjoyed that side to it because of the added responsibility and knowing that we need to get it right. You think you're somewhere with something and then all of a sudden, a variable comes in where he's no longer available or a different club do something completely different or no longer wants to come - or they might get injured. There's all sorts of things within that that changes all the time.
“That's the whole point of what I'm saying now, which is about being proactive as you can. You can't just have one target because that could change at any time. You need to be proactive.
“You also need to be ready that if you were to lose a player for whatever reason, have we got the resources there available to find a replacement quickly?”