Hibs pre-season latest: Gray on attacker's long-awaited comeback and new star's 'quality' contribution

Elie Youan’s first start since Boxing Day. A good half dozen likely/potential starters left sitting in the shade on another day of sweltering pre-season action. A few glimpses of what Jamie McGrath might bring to this Hibs side.

How much did David Gray learn from today’s goalless draw with Bundesliga 3 side MSV Duisburg in temperatures that made water breaks a medical necessity for the lucky few granted access to a closed-doors friendly? As a pure footballing contest, it made for a good training session.

With Kieron Bowie and Martin Boyle among the national team representatives excused involvement in the first bounce game of the 2025-26, Gray had few options but to give young striker Dean Cleland the full 90 minutes. And it was always part of the plan to give Youan a good hour in temperatures reaching the mid-30s Centigrade. Again.

Asked about Youan’s involvement after so long on the sidelines, with the French attacker having just one 12-minute substitute appearance to his name in 2025, Gray said: “Yeah, again, he's had a tough week. Obviously, it's his first game for a long time, so everybody at this stage is about getting minutes into their legs.

“It's about making sure everybody comes through it safely. And you probably prepare for these games slightly differently than you would a normal game because of the workload you try and get into the lads.

“They knew they were only playing 60 minutes. You see them topping up after the game.

“So it is more about, for Elie especially, getting back on the pitch and getting minutes into his legs. Working at that, especially in the heat, it's difficult for them as well. I'm pleased for the effort and desire of everybody really.”

Starting in a flexible formation that saw young defender Lewis Gillie on the left side of a back three that occasionally looked more like a four, or even a five at times, Hibs showed just a few flashes of quality in a game that was all about workload and sharpening up those close-quarter skills that will be needed as they embark on domestic and European adventures in a few weeks’ time. Raphael Sallinger was handed a start in goal, with established No. 1 Jordan Smith replacing the Austrian at half-time.

Both of the Cadden boys got a good hour of bombing up and down the flanks, while Dylan Levitt took on a lot of responsibility alongside young Jacob MacIntyre in central midfield. Hibs changed shape slightly in the second half, with the introduction of McGrath coinciding with a switch into a 3-4-2-1 and less emphasis on pressing – partly to save the legs of the youngsters being asked to play the full game.

Former Aberdeen and St Mirren attacking midfielder McGrath caught the eye with a few really impressive touches in the final third, Gray saying: “Yeah, you see that in the second half. We've changed it slightly with such a young side.

“Jamie was one of the more experienced ones, but tactically, he's very good. You only have to tell him once, he's very good that way.

“He's got the quality in tight areas as well. It's going to be a really good addition.

“To be honest, I'm delighted with where we are at the minute. We know we've still got work to do, but I can't fault anyone or praise the players enough for their efforts so far in pre-season.

“They've been really, really good. Everyone's in a good place. We want to keep moving forward and keep improving.”

Alasana Manneh looked impressive in central midfield for the closing half hour, as youngsters Rory Whittaker, Kanayo Megwa, Logan Jimenez and Joe McGrath all got chances to catch the eye. With internationals like Rocky Bushiri, Jack Iredale, Lewis Miller and the newly-reacquired Junior Hoilett all on a different training schedule, Gray had few options.

International players held back after extra week off

Explaining that the international contingent would have to ease themselves back into the new campaign after busy summer schedules, the former club captain – focused on that Europa League second qualifying round tie with Midtjylland later this month - said: “Yeah, they're just not quite at the same stage as the others. They joined us obviously a week later, so they're a week behind everybody in terms of the load they've had up until this point. They've also clearly don't need as much to get up to speed because they've not had as much time off.

“So the ones that have been playing today, I've thought they did really well, considering it's been tough for them for the last wee while. The heat, everything else that comes from it, probably an experience for a lot of the young boys.

“You think about especially the team that finishes the game, it's a really young side, which is really pleasing. They've done really well - and it'll start to build up now.

“The international boys will have a session this afternoon to make sure they're progressing, make sure everybody's safe enough to keep getting minutes in their legs. Everybody will look towards Ajax at the weekend, which is good.”

Euro opponents Midtjylland lose tight TWO-HOUR friendly

While Hibs were grinding out a goalless draw, Midtjylland striker Franculino Dju was finding the net for the third time in two games as the Danes went down 3-2 to domestic rivals Randers in a first defeat of pre-season. Thomas Thomasberg’s team also had a goal wrongly disallowed after the ball was shown to have crossed the line in a bounce game played over FOUR half-hour quarters, with an entire team of substitutes – heavily supplemented by academy prospects – used over two hours in similarly difficult conditions.

As Gray takes his men to Amsterdam to face Ajax behind closed doors – but live on YouTube - on Saturday, Midtjylland head to Austria for a training camp that includes a game against Dynamo Kyiv. The Danes kick off their Superliga campaign on July 20 at home to Odense Boldklub before hosting Hibs on July 24, with the return leg of that European clash at Easter Road a week later.

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