'I love the hostility at Tynecastle - and we can turn it against Hearts ... ' Hibs gaffer's derby ambition
Former skipper wants players to embrace occasion in Gorgie
Hibs boss David Gray intends to approach his Tynecastle debut as a gaffer with the same attitude that typified his derby days as a player – by embracing the hostility of the home crowd in Gorgie. But he believes his team are capable of using the emotion of the occasion by turning Hearts fans against their own team in the traditional Boxing Day showdown.
Rookie head coach Gray, asked if he’d played alongside Hibees who just loved crossing the city on a mission to annoy rival supporters, smiled as he admitted: “I think you're looking at one! To be honest I quite enjoyed it.
“I think it's just something that gives you that little bit of an edge. If you can't perform in that environment …
“It's everything I grew up watching. It's everything I'd ever wanted to do, which is to play in the biggest games.
“And if you're playing for Hibs that's the biggest game you can play in, a game against your local rivals. That’s been the case ever since I joined the club, certainly.
“Fans will always say that, yes, league position is important. But you need to win the derby. That’s the first thing they’ll say to you. Everyone’s aware of that.
“I don't need to tell the players or go overboard on it because it sells itself naturally. But everyone should look forward to it because it's a fantastic game.”
Laying out his hopes of turning the home crowd against Neil Critchley’s team, a clear strategy given some of the poisonous atmospheres already experienced by the Jambos in a difficult season, Gray pointed to his own team’s early-campaign struggles as he said: “I think that's something that when you play for a big club and the expectation is there, that's something that everybody needs to guard against. We've experienced it ourselves, you know?
“And the game plan, I said the same thing when I talked about going to Celtic Park, can you start the game well and try and quieten the crowd? I think naturally that's what you want to do as an away team.
“Ross County's game plan would very much have been that when they came to play us. And it would have worked for the first 20 minutes - because we felt that ourselves in the stadium. The frustration comes from the crowd when you're not playing quite to the level you want to be, or the opposition are slightly getting the better of you.
“But I think these are moments in games that the players need to be mindful of, they need to be ready for but also not distracted by - and I think that's a big thing. The fans play a massive part, especially for us when we're at home.
“But as an away team going somewhere, the first question you ask can you get the crowd against them? I think that's everyone's message.”
A born-and-bred Hibs fan who considers himself blessed to have captained the club he supported, Scottish Cup-winning captain Gray needs no lessons in what makes this seasonal fixture a little extra special, the former fullback saying: “I think that's naturally the time of year. You get everyone looking forward to it. People are usually on holiday, fan-wise, so everybody goes, it becomes very much part of Boxing Day.
“Previously it used to be round about New Year all the time. When I was growing up it used to always be the New Year derby, so for it to be Boxing Day just during the festive period is something that adds a wee bit of extra spice to it for sure.
“But these games never need any more of an introduction. As a Hibs player, it's the greatest place to go and play football.
“To get a result against your local rivals in a stadium that you know is going to be jam-packed and very hostile, that’s one that every Hibs player should look forward to.”