Hibs gaffer backed to ride out early season storm thanks to 'strength of character'

Gray at full-time after the 2-2 draw with Kilmarnock just before the international break. | SNS Group

In an industry run on euphoria, despair and liberal sprinklings of paranoia, there’s a certain merit in quietly getting on with the work. David Gray is, Hibs hope, a case in point.

The Easter Road decision makers who invested so much faith in the rookie head coach are, of course, far from happy with a sloppy start to the current campaign. But they have faith in Gray’s character, as much as his ability. In their former captain, they see someone able to locate the serene sweet spot at the centre of most storms.

“I think David is a measured individual,” explains Hibs sporting director Malky Mackay, the veteran coach – not merely Gray’s line manager but a useful sounding board on all things football - adding: “That was one of the things that really impressed me at his interview for the job.

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“I think if you’re erratic, if you get too high or too low – and there are plenty like that – then it can lead to bad judgement at times. So the thing I really like about David is he’s measured.

“He doesn’t get too excited when things are going well, doesn’t get too down when times are tough. Because there’s a strength to this character.

“And that’s one of the things we talked about, that calmness under pressure, making sure he’s someone who has done his work during the week. So there is obviously a plan for the weekend, a lot of work has gone into it.

“I think what has probably surprised him is the amount of work that goes on at a football club that has nothing to do with what happens on the grass. I’ve had a conversation with him about that. He’s very appreciative of the areas at a club that need to be looked after by the senior management team and a board making decisions.

“It certainly raised eyebrows, the stuff that has nothing to do with him coaching a football team – but things that he’s been party to seeing. I was exactly the same when I was a young manager. You realise there are so many aspects to running the club.

“All of a sudden, something can happen during the week at a football club, decisions have to made or a problem can come up – a problem that has absolutely nothing to do with him coaching the team but can affect everything. That calmness is important in those circumstances.

“He also knows you have to keep learning. He wants to learn. David is on his Pro Licence at the moment. And the best thing about that course is the number of people who can be put in front of you who are specialists in a variety of areas.

“There are things to take from all of them. Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s not so good – but it’s always interesting to see how they present themselves, what they say, their tone or just how they come across.

“As a young manager, listening to and learning from as many people as you can as important. You don’t have all the answers. You need to realise there are so many people you can learn from.”

Mackay’s appointment as sporting director was mentioned frequently during Ian Gordon’s recent public declarations on all things football, with the executive director portraying the veteran gaffer as a veritable guru bringing his influence to bear across the department. He’s certainly adding experience to the role. And implementing lessons learned from his own first step into management.

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Recalling that move from coaching to being responsible for the first team, Mackay said: “I took over at Watford in quite tough financial times. There was a sporting director who had been in place for about a year or so, and a chief exec who had been in place for about the same.

“The ownership tasked the chief executive with selling the club within two years. The chief exec was also tasked with bringing in a million pounds through player sales every year. And my task was to keep the team in the Championship.

“Those three circles shouldn’t actually touch, because they are massively difference. But I learned a lot from the fact that we met once a week, every Wednesday, spent a couple of hours together. They were very open and transparent with me.

“It was one of the things I learned really quickly – and it’s something David is learning by the week, over the last couple of months, because he’s been involved in meetings, he’s been involved in situations you wouldn’t face as a coach, but you do as a head coach. Certainly at a club this size.”