Hibs progress rated - and how Hearts title challenge skews judgement as Euro hopes hang in balance
‘Challenging at top of table’ still the future ambition for Gray
Everything being viewed through a filter of the deepest maroon definitely colours the judgement. As does the memory of one or two truly depressing days out for the boys in green and white.
In a season that has delivered fleeting European excitement amid domestic near misses and too many dull blows to the solar plexus for hopeful Hibs fans, how do you put a measure on what head coach David Gray has done – or failed to do – in his second season as a football manager? An assessment that will be reviewed come the Scottish Premiership split and again, with more depth, at the end of the campaign, it’s going to involve a complicated set of calculations … and more than a few gut feelings.
Points totals, league standings, vibes AND the final league placings of certain rivals will all play a part. Gray certainly understands the complexity of the situation.
“It's a really interesting question that,” he said, adding: “Because as you say, we've slightly more points than we had at this stage last season. I can't be much in it now I think (one point).
“But I think you are looking for stability. You are looking for progression if you can.
“The league just now, because of how tight it is, because of the three-way challenge at the top at the moment - and because of who's sitting at the top at the moment - probably brings a little bit more noise towards what we are doing as well, at times. Which I understand. That’s what you sign up to.
“Of course, progression for us this season, have we been a bit frustrated? Do we think we've missed out on points? Definitely at times.
“But I think if you go around the country, every single manager will sit and say that at certain times this season. But you need to be making sure you are going in the right direction.
“I think it's not something I would sit and say has been success. But the fact that we are back-to-back top six, that hasn't happened enough for this football club in the last 15-20 years.
“Some of that has been because we were in the Championship. I’m not naïve enough to ignore that. But it is about trying to make that top six every season – and challenging at the top of the table.”
History up for grabs
Ask most Hibs fans and they’d make wrecking Hearts’ title challenge their No. 1 priority over the closing seven games of the season. But there are actual prizes to play for.
Gray, a man who likes to use history to motivate his players, will be aware that qualifying for European football in consecutive seasons is a rarity for Hibs. If you discount the Intertoto Cup, which was for clubs who didn’t merit inclusion in ‘proper’ UEFA competition, it’s been a full half century since the Easter Road side managed that.
Asked if securing a spot in the UEFA Conference League qualifying rounds – an achievement that can only be guaranteed by finishing no lower than fourth in the Scottish Premiership – would represent a noteworthy achievement, Gray said: “Yeah, exactly. But regardless of when the season starts next season, our objectives will be the same.
“You must be in that top six, you must be challenging the top end of the table if you can. European football is a genuine opportunity.
“We were so fortunate to experience some unbelievable nights this season in European football. And if you want that again, the opportunity is there, but you need to be successful domestically to get that.
“Every cup competition is a genuine opportunity to try and win something. And that will be the same next season, wherever we finish this year.
“That's the demand and the expectation of this club. And that starts right from the top with the ownership, the constant passion and support we get to try and move the club forward all the time.
“But then also, as we all know, the fan base that craves that success and are on that journey with you. And I think that's something that we need to make sure we're always going forward.”
Motherwell in sights as unpredictable season hits home straight
Two games shy of the SPFL split, and with a six-point gap still separating Hibs from fourth-placed Motherwell, it would normally be difficult to imagine much changing in the race for that final guaranteed crack at UEFA competition. Normally.
But Gray takes heart from the sheer unpredictability of a season that has seen Hearts, in particular, up-end all expectations – despite suffering the odd shock themselves.
“There are still a lot of points to play for,” he said, pointing out: “We won at Celtic Park for the first time in 16 years. And then we dropped points in the last second against Dundee.
“But if we'd went to Celtic Park and drew, and then went to Dundee and won, you'd get the same amount of points and nobody would be saying anything.
“Now, that doesn't work like that. And I appreciate that. It's not me saying: ‘Oh, I've missed an opportunity.’
“That's football. And at this level, we need to be at our best to win games of football. Winning games of football is difficult.
“You look at the Livingston game last week (a 0-0 home draw), I know I spoke about it already, fighting for their lives the way they defended, because they are genuinely fighting for their lives now. But how that affects football clubs and careers when you get relegated, that's a challenge to life.
“You look at then Hearts going to Kilmarnock, a very similar situation. You know, Killie are fighting, trying to make sure they get out of it.
“We had Neil McCann doing a great job. And Derek McInnes going for the title, which is still going.
“But that was a result that not many have seen coming, so it just shows you there's no right, nobody's got the right to go and win any game. And I fully expect there to be results between now and the next seven games that'll be maybe what people don't expect.
“Once the split happens, you've got everyone playing around each other again. And everyone's got something to say, especially with what's going on at the top of the table at the moment, and the pressure that comes with that, the magnitude of the games.”
“But for us, we're fighting to try and finish as high as we can, trying to chase down that fourth place to get that automatic European place.”