Hibs striker hunt latest as Gray weighs up recruitment options


Hibs may have to be patient in their pursuit of the forward firepower needed to drive David Gray’s first crack at management, according to the rookie gaffer. And he’s outlined TWO different sets of criteria he’ll be using to narrow the search.
With Dylan Vente the only recognised senior out-and-out striker on the books, Hibs sporting director Malky Mackay – having already landed two central defenders and two goalkeepers for the new boss – has one obvious priority on his to-do list in the summer transfer window. Gray, who had hoped to land Ross County striker Simon Murray before the ex-Hibs man opted to join Dundee, knows it might not be a simple task.
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Hide Ad“Yeah, it’s pretty clear we’re a bit light at the top end of the pitch,” he said, adding: “We’ve only really got Dylan Vente as the out-and-out, recognised number nine. So that’s an area we’re constantly trying to strengthen to give us more options and depth.
“It’s not just a case of: ‘Let’s just go get someone.’ We want it to be the right one, the right type that’s going to enhance the squad and make us better. Those forward positions are definitely ones we are looking at.”
Outlining the qualities needed to excel in the Scottish Premiership, Gray cited Murray as an example as he explained: “It depends how you’re going to play. There’s been very successful ones that are different.
“I’ve played with lots of strikers that have been successful. You even look at Adam Le Fondre here last season, a real penalty box striker.
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Hide Ad“But then you’ve got others like Simon Murray, who I played with previously, and he was brilliant to play with. Because you could put the ball in the channel, and he’ll chase it all day.
“There’s different strengths depending on how you want to play. What we want to do is have different ways of playing.
“We’ve got Vente, who links-up and gets in the box, and he’s scoring goals now which is great. Sometimes you might want a more physical one, or more of a running one. I don’t have my eye on one player at the moment, it’s about putting together exactly what we think the best option is going to be.”
The Euros have delayed a lot of the expected early movement at the top end of the market. Which is definitely having a knock-on effect further down the ladder.
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Hide Ad“This is my first in this situation so it’s harder for me to judge,” said Gray. “But I do think it’s probably been a little bit slower with the Euros and top teams going as far as they did, younger players being kept in at the top teams to facilitate squads, and it not filtering down. Especially in places like the Premier League with the expectation and demands to go and play games in pre-season the younger players are being kept in.
“The knock-on effect is maybe that it’s been a bit slower. I’m not as experienced in this, but it’s something we’re working hard on every single day to get the squad to where it needs to be.
“It’s about constantly working hard. Opportunities change all the time. As soon as one player moves, it can open the door for another. Maybe people don’t get their number one target, there’s all different ways you can get to the end result. We just need to be proactive all the time, making sure we’re working towards our targets and doing everything we can to strengthen the squad.”
Gray is leaning heavily on Mackay and others to present him with a short list of options in each position, a smart alternative to being swamped by dozens of messages from agents and scouts at all hours of the day, the head coach explaining: “That’s what the recruitment department is there for. I’ve mentioned that a few times about the structure. We’ve got the recruitment department, Malky there as well, everything that goes in there goes through a filter. It’s not just: ‘I like him let’s go and do that.’ There’s a process to it, which is great.
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Hide Ad“That way you want to reduce the risks of getting it wrong. Ultimately, you’re judged on your recruitment and making sure it works, to reduce the risk as much as possible.”
Gray confirmed that Josef Bursik will remain his No. 1 goalkeeper despite the arrival of experienced back-up Jordan Smith, brought in on Thursday after Jojo Wollacott’s departure to Crawley town, the former skipper saying: “Josef’s number one, he’s been brought in as number one at the moment. We’ve got Jordan in there to push him, and Max Boruc pushing him. It’s a healthy goalkeeping department. That’s what you want – everyone pushing all the time.”