Exclusive:'This is why I brought Junior back' - Hibs boss Gray on training-ground leader who never takes a day off
Former Aberdeen favourite bagged two at weekend - and will be key figure at Pittodrie on Sunday
Hibs boss David Gray has hailed Junior Hoilett for his increasingly influential training ground role at the Easter Road club. And he’s revealed that the veteran Canadian NEVER wants to miss a single session – because he’s desperate to keep affecting games in a positive manner.
Hoilett came off the bench to score twice in last weekend’s 4-0 thumping of Livingston. He’ll be a key player, either as a starter or finisher, in the Hibs squad heading to Pittodrie tomorrow.
Canadian international was a fan favourite at Aberdeen
Hoilett, who spent a successful half season with Aberdeen before joining Hibs on a one-year contract at the start of the 2024-25 campaign, spent most of the close season weighing up his options before agreeing to return to the capital for another year. And Gray is adamant that he ALWAYS wanted the playmaker and chance taker to return for one more season.
Explaining what he admires most about the 35-year-old former Blackburn, QPR and Cardiff star, the gaffer said: “I think I mentioned that after the game at the weekend, clearly that's when he's at his best when he's affecting the game, coming on as a sub. Affecting the game in the way he did, doing what he does, you can see his quality he's got. So he's a threat.
“But it's everyday things. That’s another big reason why I wanted to bring him back this season.
“His contract was up at the end of the season. But one of the main factors in wanting to bring him back again was because of how he is every single day.
“He's a proper role model, someone who's been there and done it - but is still hungry and keen to play and also develop younger players.
“I know he’s starting his coaching journey. But you already see it all the time, how much he enjoys being a role model. He does speak to the younger players, and he leads by example because of how he trains every day.”
Veteran never wants a day off
That intensity in training is highly prized by the coaching staff, who inevitably look to on-field leaders to maintain standards in sessions. Gray is thrilled to have him involved on a daily basis – even if he would be willing to give the old-timer the odd day off.
The former club captain, just a couple of years older than Hoilett, admitted: “Now, getting to the later stages of his career, you maybe look at him and say: ‘It’s OK Junior, you can maybe miss this session, maybe miss that session.’ Not a chance. He wants to train every single day.
“It's something that you don't want to discourage from him because he knows his body more than anybody else. It just shows you, it's no coincidence that he's had the career he's had - because of how he works.”