Hibs boss reveals ambitious plans for homegrown hero - and makes striker admission

Campbell, second from left, is a key figure for Gray. | SNS Group

A Hibs career on a par with two of the greatest servants in the history of the club. Or a dream move to one of Europe’s bigger leagues, with all the rewards that brings.

When David Gray talks about homegrown Hibs hero Josh Campbell’s ceiling as a footballer, the new manager doesn’t shy away from placing some pretty high expectations on this “very important” 24-year-old. The rookie head coach has big plans for Campbell. And it starts by defining the role he’s expected to play.

Cursed by his own versatility over the years, the attacking midfielder has played in every position from wingback to centre forward. Without ever quite getting the opportunity to cement his place anywhere in particular.

Gray, who sees Campbell as a No. 10 with a difference, a more all-action version of the schemers normally deployed behind either a loan striker or a forward pairing, is adamant that this could be a big year for the former academy kid, insisting: “He’s a very important player. He’s someone I’ve admired for a long time. I’ve played with him, I know him, I’ve coached him.

“He’s seen players like Lewis Stevenson and Paul Hanlon leave and there’s no reason why Josh can’t go on and do that or, if he keeps progressing the way he is, move onto bigger and better things. He’s got that in his locker.

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“But that’s a standard and a responsibility that needs to be there every day. The reason these guys have had such long careers and been successful for the club is because of how they apply themselves every single day, how they are seen in the dressing room every single day.

“The way they apply themselves and maintain standards, calling people out but also delivering on a match day. That’s the main driving force behind it.

“I think he’s taken that on board. He knows he’s got the full backing of me. And I believe in him to go on and push on this season. It’s what I’m trying to get out of him.

“He’s had challenges; he’s been on loan, and it didn’t work out, so he has had that adversity early in his career. He had a lot of things he needed to work on which he is conscious of and continuing to work on, but I think everyone can see he’s a huge asset to the club.

“He’s a Hibs fan, he came through the academy, he knows what it means. He’s taken the extra responsibility on board.”

Explaining how he sees Campbell fitting into his overall game model, Gray – most likely to deploy some variation on a 4-2-3-1 in most games, while retaining the flexibility to change everything when the challenge demands – aims to make the most of the aerobic fitness and athleticism of a player usually to be found near the top of any tests, revealing: “His key strength for me is his ability to get into the box and get back and defend. His fitness is brilliant.

“The challenge for him is always going to be how many goal involvements can he get? Every time we score a goal or get the ball in the box my challenge to him is: ‘Can I see you in that picture, in the box, every time?’ He’s got the capacity to do it.

“And then when we lose the ball and we’re defending our box or we lose a goal, can I see him in that picture every time? He absolutely has the energy and the drive to be able to do that. 

“I think the ten position suits him in terms of being able to run beyond, but also to be able to recover again. He’s a different type of ten, rather than just a creative one. But I’m not pigeonholing him into being a running ten; not at all.

“He can play these different positions and he’s reliable enough to be able to do it.  When asked to do it, it’s good to have someone reliable and trustworthy to do a job for you.

“We won’t have one way of playing all the time, but Josh can play as a ten, or he can play as an eight, or a six depending on how we want to play, or if we’re chasing games. But to have that flexibility, as I keep saying, is a big asset.”

While Campbell will bring energy to the attack and defence, Hibs are still obviously – and desperately – short of a striker capable of leading the line, with only Dylan Vente available to Gray, the head coach admitting: “It’s definitely an area we’re short in at the moment and it’s something the club is working hard to sort. It’s the most important position on the pitch so to have as many options in there as possible would be ideal for me.

“I know it’s not as simple as that, but the squad will evolve and we’re constantly working to see what we can bring in. I have to get the best out of what we’ve got right now, and at the same time, can we add to that? Which is what the football club is doing, to get to that point.

“My full focus is on improving what we’ve got just now. And obviously having a wish list of what I need to make us better.”

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Gray still hopes that, once he’s built a solid squad, there will be room – either via the tie-in with billionaire investor Bill Foley’s Bournemouth or other routes – to add some star quality through clever use of the loan market, explaining: “The position we’re in now, we’re very fortunate to have the Gordon family, who have been so generous ever since they’ve come to the club. With the structure that is now in place, and now with the added investment of the Black Knights and the avenues we can explore there, you saw last season how it can work.

“We have the opportunity bring a marquee player to the club at times, sprinkle a little bit of magic over the top. But we’re really focusing, at the moment, on getting the core of the team right for Hibs.

“Get that right, then the other things can be added. The squad and getting the team right is all about bringing in people for Hibs, to pave the way for the next two or three years, then we can always add around that.”