Scotland veteran Hanley promises Hibs same qualities that made Gayle and Junior such key figures
Former Newcastle, Birmingham and Norwich defender signing ‘shows you where we are’ - Gray
Scotland defender Grant Hanley can become a major dressing room leader for Hibs, according to David Gray – who sees the veteran following the example set by experienced campaigners Dwight Gayle and Junior Hoilett last season. And the Hibs boss provided a fitness update on the 33-year-old free agent, following today’s confirmation that he’d signed a two-year deal with the Easter Road outfit.
Gayle was a significant influence on the dressing room in his single season as a Hibs player, with the vastly experienced striker leading by example AND passing on words of wisdom to team-mates as Gray transformed his team from relegation fodder to the third best side in Scotland. Premier League veteran Hoilett, back for a second season after exploring other options in the summer, has also been credited with bringing a calming influence to the crisis that engulfed Hibs early in Gray’s first season of management.
The former club captain, asked if Hanley would be expected to play a similar role, said: "I think I spoke a lot about Gayley and Junior last season and what they gave us. Not just on the pitch, but off the pitch every single day.
“They don't play at the level they have done and achieve what they've achieved in the game - and still be hungry to do it - without being top professionals and role models every single day. We've got a lot of younger players as well in the building, seeing how these people work and operate
“It's all well and good when the coach is telling you to do this, you should eat this, you should do these things, but these players do it all the time. So having that around the building is brilliant - and it's also the right type who actually want to educate the younger ones as well. So it's all well and good being that type of player and having had that career, but there are guys who want to give back and want to help the younger ones.
"And then also, you can rely on them on the pitch as well. So the quality is undoubtedly there, which is a real positive as well.
“You mentioned Grant, he's another really good character, captain, leader everywhere he's been, and a national team player. So it just shows you where we are, that we're able to attract that level of calibre of player."
Fitness bulletin on central defender
Hanley hasn’t played since starting Scotland’s ugly 3-1 home loss to Iceland at Hampden back in June. The defender, who helped Birmingham City to win promotion to the EFL Championship during a loan spell with the Blues over the second half of last season, will obviously need some work to get match fit.
But Gray revealed that the experienced stopper, who has 62 caps to his name, had been working during the close season, explaining: “He has been doing a lot. He's been working with Norwich, I believe, under-23s.
“So he's been doing a lot of work with them, which is positive. That keeps him ticking over. Again, it's testament to the type of person he is, that he wants to keep himself going, because he'll know his body better than anybody else.
"So we'll not be throwing him into a situation where he's not ready to do it or taking any chances or risks within that. We’ll be doing the best we can to get him in as safely, as quickly as you can.”
Hanley will obviously provide reinforcements in a back three who have just lost a regular contributor in Lewis Miller, whose big-money move to Blackburn – in a deal worth £1.5 million including add-ons – also leaves Hibs short of a right back. Gray is confident that he’s got cover in both positions.
“Millsy was someone who could play right-back, right-wing-back, right of a back three, just because of his athleticism and what he gives you defensively, but also his energy going forward,” said the gaffer. “So his attributes are obviously difficult to find, but when you look at our squad at the minute, we still have that sort of dual-position players.
"We've got Warren O'Hora who is comfortable on the right of a three, central in a three, left of a three. We've got Kanayo Megwa, a younger player, who's able to play the same, Chris Cadden, Josh Mulligan, all players that can play more than one position.
“And it's about making sure you've got that strength in depth. I always talk about not having just one plan. So having dual-position players that you can flip in formations is important.”
Belgrade training switch as Hibs keep tactics under wraps
Gray revealed, meanwhile, revealed his thinking behind NOT putting his Hibs players through a traditional eve-of-contest training session at Partizan Stadium tomorrow night. The Edinburgh side are flying out to Belgrade after training at HTC tomorrow, and plan only to have a walk around the venue for Thursday night’s Europa Conference League clash.
Admitting his thinking had been partly influenced by the delay that caused him to cut training short at the MCH Arena the night before facing Midtjylland in the Europa League a couple of weeks ago, Gray said: "Yeah, I think to do with probably a little bit of everything, the preparation for the quick turnaround in games. So we've obviously just had Dundee at the weekend.
“The Midtjylland one was slightly different because we knew that was the first competitive game and we had a long time to prepare for that game. So going over there and training the day before the game in their stadium was more to give the players the surroundings and training over there.
“You’re not going to do any tactical things at someone else's stadium - so you can control that a little bit more here at HTC. But we need to do it with a quick turnaround.
"So tactically we can get it all done before we go and then all we're relying on then is making sure we arrive plenty of time to get them to bed and to get recovered in time to obviously be ready for the next day. All being well, if we arrive in time, which we fully expect, all being well, we will go to the stadium, have a walk around.
“We see it more as an active walk around and just getting used to the surroundings and more of a recovery from sitting on a plane for a wee while more than anything else. But the actual football insight, the tactical stuff, will all be done.”