Exclusive:Training ground 'battering' gives Hibs defender physical edge to dominate Hearts - derby key battle in focus
Former Norwich City prospect has matured during Easter Road career - and will lead from back against rivals
It’s hard to imagine Rocky Bushiri being “battered” in training sessions out at East Mains. Short of keeping the Hulk on standby in a reinforced changing room at HTC, who on earth would David Gray find to test the big man in a week like this, where 90 per cent of the focus will be on winning 100 per cent of the physical confrontations likely to dominate events at Easter Road?
But the Hibs boss is talking metaphorically, clearly, when he details some of the brutal beast mode sessions he puts his defenders through in preparation for the average Scottish Premiership test of endurance. Bushiri is, Gray points out, merely the best example of that hard graft paying off.
With Grant Hanley suspended following his red card against Aberdeen, Bushiri will return to his usual position as line leader, organiser and dominant ball winner in the heart of the Hibs back three for Sunday’s visit of Hearts. Although Gray may describe Hanley’s absence as “not ideal”, there won’t be many Hibs fans unhappy to see Rocky back in the starting XI.
DRC World Cup qualification party lasted for days
Bushiri had his contribution to club football seriously disrupted by the Democratic Republic of Congo’s historic World Cup qualification – national holiday and all – last month. Having also missed a chunk of the season on AFCON duty, he’s generally been able to step straight back into the team without missing a beat.
That is due, in large part, to his peak physical conditioning, according to Gray. And the gaffer explained exactly what his coaching staff to do to keep Bushiri, and his team-mates in the back line, ready for battle.
“He's fitter, in my opinion,” said Gray. “Last season he was fitter and stronger than he's ever been in his career.
“He got himself a lot leaner, he was a lot fitter than he ever had been. And a lot of that's down to the training and how hard he works.
“I think that about my defenders a lot. They get tested a lot physically during training so that the games become easier.
“Because defending when you're really tired is difficult. The only way you can re-enact that is by really battering them in training on that front so the games do become a little bit easier.
“Because if you're on top for 90 minutes, which doesn't happen very often, but if you're on top for large periods of the game, sometimes it's all about concentration and positioning. Concentration on clearances and things like that when you're really asked to force the defenders.
“So that's been the biggest thing with Rocky's consistency. I think a lot has been down to how fit he is and how strong he is now.”
Gray, who was on the coaching staff when Bushiri first arrived on an initial half-season loan from Norwich City – via temporary stints back in his childhood home of Belgium – in January of 2022, has watched the defender improve during his time in Scotland. Now 26, and having re-committed himself to Hibs until 2028 after briefly exploring free agency last summer, the former Belgium Under-21 international is approaching his peak years.
“I think one thing everybody probably understands is how Rocky has developed,” said the former club captain. “When you see Rocky, he’s been at the club for a wee while now.
“His level of performance and consistency level has massively improved over the period. Last season obviously was his big year where he did really, really well.
“A massive part of the success we had last season was down to Rocky's performance level. He was really important for us.
“But before then, I know he came from Norwich. And there was a bit of expectation behind him, everything that comes with being a talented young player who comes in here and signs on a permanent deal after the loan.
“He’d had a lot of injuries in his career at times. But he had a great run of form in big games on loan, and he was still young.
“You just expect because he's a big, dominant guy that he had a great grounding. But hadn't played a lot of football, really.
“And players, especially defenders, mature with games and obviously learning from mistakes and more coaching. And the one thing Rocky is, he’s very coachable as a guy.
“He's always constantly asking questions. He's constantly wanting to improve, takes pride in analysing his own performances and having conversations about it to make sure he's doing everything he can to be the best he can be. So from a coaching point of view, he's brilliant to work with him.
“But at the same time, there's no coincidence then that a consistent run of form and performances helps. But also just playing regularly.
“You can't beat that, just playing regularly, week in, week out. Confidence comes through that.”
Scotland World Cup hero Hanley misses out
Hanley being unavailable may not be a hammer blow, in terms of Gray’s starting line-up. But he would have made a more than useful option on the bench – and you could hardly ask for more experienced injury cover.
The manager, addressing the absence of his Scotland World Cup hopeful, said: “Yeah, I think it's not ideal. You want to keep everybody available.
“When you think back to the Aberdeen game and you plan on something all week. Then within 16 minutes your game plan's pretty much out the window because you're down to 10 men.
“So it does very much change it. As I've already spoken about after the game, I’ve no complaints over the decision and the letter of the law, and because he's been sent off he's going to miss a couple of matches.
“The timing of it's not great for everybody involved because you want your full squad available, especially experienced like someone like Grant here, someone who has played at a very high level. His motivation is to go to the World Cup and try to make sure he's playing well all the time – and we get the benefits that come from that. You want these players available.
“But you just rightly touched on the fact that Rocky came in at the weekend and did very well. It also helps now that we've got Nicky Cadden fit, Jordan Obita fit, Jack Iredale still fit, Warren O’Hora still fit, Kanayo Megwa getting more minutes in him with the bounce game on Friday.
“So defensively we have got adequate cover, which is good. And as I said, it'll change a lot probably between now and the end of the season.
“There's only five games to go, but the last week of the season there's three games in a week. So we always have to be ready.
“Which is why even things like that bounce game last week is going to be so important. We have to make sure our level of performance and the players' level of performance is given every chance to be at its highest level.”