'Honest and up front' Hibs boss dealing with delicate Youan situation as Blackburn circle star

Having been through this before will help, obviously. Still, it’s hard to see Elie Youan staying positive if yet ANOTHER ‘dream move’ to pastures new falls through at the last minute.

Side-swiped by injury in the summer, a really bad piece of luck that effectively put paid to a return to his native France, Youan hasn’t played since the Boxing Day win over Hearts at Tynecastle because of a niggling problem with his big toe. The prospect of Blackburn Rovers NOT returning with an offer suitable to Hibs, something with seven figures plus change, must be troubling to a 25-year-old eager for a new challenge.

Hibs have made it clear that they won’t stand in the way of a prized asset who cost them the thick end of a million quid when they signed him from Swiss side St Gallen in the summer of 2023. As long, of course, if the price is right.

Explaining how Youan had recovered from his summer disappointment to become a key player for Hibs again, Gray pointed out: "That's the thing with the window. You get to the point then when you think something is going to happen or potential to happen - and if it doesn't there's nothing that can be done until the window opens again. Some players will have disappointment initially, some players might struggle with that for a week, ten days, whatever it is.

"Every player reacts differently in different situations, but the reality of the situation is their focus has to turn to being the best they can be for the club they play for. Because that's what gives them the opportunity.

“If they do want to go on to bigger and better things then you need to perform on the pitch. You need to keep doing that, but you also need your teammates to help you do that. You need everyone to be pulling with you.

“If a team is successful on the pitch there's always going to be individuals that are doing well within that. When the window closes, there's nothing you can do until the window reopens - and you want to give yourself the best opportunity by playing to the best of your ability.

“Elie was a very easy one to bring back around and it didn't take long for him to get his head right where it needed to be because he's a driven boy who loves playing football every single day. That's where he's at his happiest, you see him at his best

“I think that's what we've had probably not enough of this season through injuries. That happens with every player at certain times in their career.”

Stressing the need to keep Youan completely in the loop with regard to any potential moves, Gray said: "I think there's always communication with Elie. And there's always communication with the club.

“One thing we need to always do is we need to make sure that everything's right for everyone involved. The football club need to be in a position where we feel it's right for us and making sure that the player's still happy with what's happening and giving his best every single day until, as I say, anything else was to change on that front.

"That's where we'll be and, as I say, naturally there's been speculation around Elie for example for a couple of windows now because of the attributes he's got. There's many players in that dressing room that will attract attention because we've got a lot of good players, and it's our job to just make sure that we're in control of that.

“The biggest thing when you're speaking to and talking to players is just being really honest and up front and making sure everyone knows exactly where they stand.”

Proactive approach

Hibs will be ready to react in the event of Youan moving on, even if doesn’t happen until two minutes to deadline on Monday night, Gray insisting: “That's why I talk about being ready and being proactive because you never know what might pop up at any time. That's something that we always need to guard against.

“We aren't in a position where we need to be offloading people to do anything. We're in a position where we're thinking: ‘How do we make this as strong as possible?'”

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For a few hours either side of kick-off tomorrow afternoon, Gray will find sweet sanctuary from all transfer talk in the rituals of game day. He doesn’t need to tell sporting director Malky Mackay or new-ish head of recruitment Garvan Stewart that his attention MUST be on finding a way to beat Aberdeen at Easter Road – regardless of bids, loan offers or the sudden appearance of a free agent capable of elevating Hibs into a new stratosphere on a short-term basis.

"Malky's obviously been in this position hundreds of times,” said Gray, the former club captain adding: “My full focus even now is still the game. Unless there's something that I really need to be across, which naturally there is at times.

“There's decisions that need to be made and the process that we go through, but my full focus is always on the game tomorrow. That won't change between now and kick-off and even during the game.

"The guys are not going to try and come and speak to me before the game. They know exactly where my head's going to be and what the most important thing is.

“The most important thing for us as football clubs is to try and win as many games as we can. Tomorrow it's all about that.”

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