Hibs fans will forget David Gray's failings with derby day win over Hearts, claims Easter Road hero

John Collins previews the upcoming Edinburgh derby, on October 24, 2024, in GlasgowJohn Collins previews the upcoming Edinburgh derby, on October 24, 2024, in Glasgow
John Collins previews the upcoming Edinburgh derby, on October 24, 2024, in Glasgow | SNS Group
John Collins doesn’t believe there is much between Hibs and Hearts on paper as he calls for players to stand up ‘in the heat of battle’

John Collins knows all too well what the reaction from Hibs fans will be if David Gray slumps to another defeat against his club’s biggest rivals this afternoon - but admits he is keen for the strain to ease on the under-pressure rookie boss.

The 36-year-old finds himself skating on thin ice after a fraught opening three months of the season has left the Easter Road club propping up the Premiership table on goal difference. The Leith side are on a three-game losing streak since recording their only league win of the campaign over St Mirren.

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Last weekend’s dramatic stoppage-time collapse against Dundee United at Tannadice from a winning position saw the Hibees plunge to a new low under Gray. But Collins knows his recent failings will be quickly forgotten with three points at home to Hearts in the Edinburgh Derby today.

Warren O'Hora, Joe Newell, Nectar Triantis and Jordan Obita (L-R) during a Hibernian training sessionWarren O'Hora, Joe Newell, Nectar Triantis and Jordan Obita (L-R) during a Hibernian training session
Warren O'Hora, Joe Newell, Nectar Triantis and Jordan Obita (L-R) during a Hibernian training session | SNS Group

“The reality is he'll be under a lot of pressure,” Collins responded when asked how much pressure Gray could be under if they were to suffer another defeat today. “I don't like saying that. 

“But we're all grown-ups and we know what happens when you're at the bottom of the league and don't get the right results. There's always going to be pressure and speculation. But it's the early in the season and things can change with a victory here. It's a big game for Hibs.

“You win a derby, everybody forgets about the previous six, seven games, everything's pointless. All of a sudden they can be heroes and they can quickly flip things to a positive. The reality is you have to park what happened last weekend. You'll have watched it, analysed it and you'll see what they've got to correct. That's a manager's job, you learn from defeats as much as you learn from victories.”

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Since Collins was replaced by Mixu Paatelainen in the Easter Road hotseat back in January 2008, Hibs have gone through 12 permanent managers in that time. And Collins believes part of the problem is a constantly unsettled changing room with too many players coming and going at his former club.

He admitted: “I understand the concern because we're sitting at the bottom of the league. We've got a new goalkeeper, new centre-halves, new players. At this moment in time, they're not performing as well as we'd have hoped. You've got to hope that in time they will improve.

“What every manager - certainly a young manager - wants is time and patience. In modern football, it's not something that's always around. People want immediate action. You keep changing managers, you keep changing players and you get no continuity, no settled unit. That’s been an issue for a long time. Too many changes, it’s proved it doesn’t work. There’s got to be continuity. A plan of action.

“Get a good group of players and let them work together for a number of seasons. Not a number of weeks. In general, that's one of the issues with modern day football. Change happens too quick. If you can establish that continuity, then derby games become easier because guys are looking around to guys they trust. They've been through it before. They've played five derbies, ten derbies. Every season there's new derbies, new pressure.”

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Despite their woeful start to the season, Collins still gives Hibs a fighting chance in any derby fixture because he doesn’t view Hearts as being the superior club. However, he admits Gray’s underperforming players must avoid playing the game “like a supporter”.

He added: “There's not a lot between the teams “There's no huge gulf in quality. They are evenly matched, as far as I'm concerned. Again, it will be about who doesn't make a mistake or who comes up with a magic goal or gets a little bit of luck.

“Looking for a positive for Hibs, the last three games - 1-0 at Ibrox, we could have got a result, 2-1 defeat (to Motherwell), 3-2 defeat (to United), two red cards. They're not getting beat 5-0 4-0. These are games that they could have won, so sometimes I like to look for positives.

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“The manager's message has got to be calmness in possession. Don't get caught up in the occasion. It's always a challenge for players in derby games. The fans love a tackle. They love aggression. But sometimes you cannot play the game like a supporter. You've got to play the game like a composed athlete and player, thinking constantly and not losing focus and concentration.

“He (Gray) is new to it, although he's been doing it in the academy and reserves for a number of years. Doing it under pressure, heat of the battle. Television cameras on him. 20,000 fans screaming. You have to stay calm.”

*John Collins was a guest on The Warm-Up, the essential William Hill SPFL preview show. Watch the exclusive Edinburgh Derby episode on YouTube. 

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