Exclusive:Hibs react to SPFL fixture imbalance as Gray makes 'thankless task' admission on post-split card
Motherwell final-day showdown at Easter Road could be a box office classic - if Euro race still being run
David Gray believes the SPFL faced a “thankless task” in trying to balance the Scottish Premiership post-split fixture card.
But the Hibs boss admits his team being asked to play Falkirk away from home for the third time this season is “not ideal” as the Easter Road side look to maintain their pursuit of guaranteed European football for the second consecutive season. In his first response to Tuesday’s announcement revealing the final five rounds of fixtures in Scotland’s top flight, Gray said he recognised the box-office potential of welcoming direct rivals Motherwell to Edinburgh for a final-day showdown. Hibs currently trail Jens Berthel Askou’s side by just three points in the race to finish fourth.
With the team finishing fifth relying on a Scottish Cup win for Celtic to deliver UEFA qualification, Gray remains focused on catching and overtaking the Steelmen. With Motherwell at Tynecastle on Saturday, and Hibs travelling to Aberdeen, the immediate aim is to at least maintain pressure on the team in front.
Edinburgh derby at Easter Road first up in post-split schedule
Gray, reacting to news that his team would face Hearts and then Celtic at Easter Road on the opening two weekends of post-split action, said: “It’s straight in, isn't it? Derby game first weekend, which is, they're always brilliant games. I kind of expected it to be quite early on in the fixtures, to be honest, the derby. They usually are.
“We've obviously got a massive game before that, this weekend away at Aberdeen, which obviously sets you up going into the split. So it’s about how many points can we get before we go in there. And then, as I've said for a lot of time now, everyone's playing everyone round about them, so it's all to play for. I think there's nobody going in there with nothing to play for, at all. Which makes it really interesting.
“This is probably for the first time in a long time that the entire top six will have had so much to play for. It’s a real exciting time for Scottish football going in there. I'm not really one for saying or thinking it's great to get two home or two away to start with. I'm very much a believer in the obvious fact that there's 38 games. You need to play everybody.
“You normally get your 19 at home and 19 away. I know it's maybe slightly different this year just because of how it's worked out. I'm certainly not going to be sitting complaining about anything. It's very much not up to us when you're playing against the teams directly round about you.”
Falkirk’s plastic pitch an unhappy hunting ground for Hibs
Asked directly about being forced into a third league fixture on the artificial surface at Falkirk Stadium, a venue where Hibs have picked up just a single point this season, a grinning Gray said: “No comment on that one! I think it's a thankless task isn't it?
“There's always going to someone who has to give on something. Falkirk ended up with an extra home game. It’s not ideal, with it being on plastic. But it is what it is. We'll just deal with that when it comes to that. We've got games to get to before we even consider that at that point. And we just need to make sure that we keep moving forward.”
Saturday’s thumping home win over Kilmarnock saw Hibs close the gap on Motherwell to just three points, with the Lanarkshire side slumping to their third defeat in four league games on the same day. From being apparently out of the race to secure a shot at the Conference League qualifiers, Gray’s men are suddenly back in the race.
Asked if he thought Motherwell travelling to Easter Road on the final weekend of league action had obvious box office appeal, Gray said: “Potentially. I think form would suggest it's going to be really tight right to the very end.
“We had a big weekend last week, with us closing that gap, putting it down to three points again. Now we're in that position where we are three points behind – and we do need to play. That is great. Because two weeks ago, we weren’t in that position. But l nothing changes from us in terms of what we're trying to do. What we're aiming to do this season.
“We've got a real difficult one this weekend. But all we can do is take care of our own form. And take care of our own results. And if we can do that, we'll give ourselves the best chance.”
Hibs are currently on a six-game unbeaten run in the league. Aberdeen, by contrast, haven’t won a Scottish Premiership fixture since January 24. The Dons are on their third manager of the season, with Stephen Robinson stepping in following the departure of long-serving interim gaffer Peter Leven, who spent over three months at the helm as the Pittodrie club scoured the globe for someone to replace Jimmy Thelin, sacked at the turn of the year. Aberdeen currently sit just three points out of the relegation play-off spot with one round of pre-split fixtures to be played.
Squad needed for sprint to finish line
Gray revealed, meanwhile, that Hibs will squeeze in another bounce game during the SPFL’s down week to make away for the Scottish Cup semi-finals, revealing: “It’ll be next Friday, definitely a game. Because it’s not bout fitness now for players.
“If a player is not fit now, there’s no point in you running them and trying to get them fit. It’s about maintaining and making sure that every single player is in the best possible condition. We’re aware that we’re going into the last six games of the season. And you’ve got three games in that final week.
“There will be injuries along the way. There will be bumps. There will be bruises. Sometimes we will just require freshness, bringing in a different sort of energy. We need to make sure that we’re as strong and as competitive as possible in every single game. Whatever 11 goes out there, we know it will be a strong team. As long as they’re all in a good place in terms of match fitness.”