Hibernian

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Hibernian head coach David Gray was delighted with the way his side responded to last week's loss against Kelty Hearts by beating Peterhead comfortably and progressing to the League Cup knock-out rounds.

Goals from Lewis Miller, Rudi Molotnikov and Nathan Moriah-Welsh secured a 4-0 win for the Hibees at Easter Road as they topped Group C ahead of Queen's Park.

“Job done, topped the group, which is what we had to do," Gray told club media. "A good reaction from the disappointment at Kelty.

“Maybe first half we should have been a couple more goals ahead. I mentioned that at half-time, we can’t be having five, six, seven chances to convert.

“But the fact we are creating chances is very positive and the reaction from the players was very good.”

Gray praised the way his players added intensity to a game in which they needed to score as many goals as possible and they ended up topping the group by a single strike on goal difference.

"We needed to score as many goals as we can to make sure we did [win the group]," Gray added. "It was pleasing to keep a clean sheet, we reduced them to very little if anything.

"These afternoons can be frustrating. I've played in games like this where it's a bit slower, and it's up to us to drive the intensity. Second half we were much better with that but still a wee bit wasteful."

The new head coach also praised 18-year-old midfielder Molotnikov, who added to his goal against Queen's Park earlier in the group stage.

"He's doing really well at the moment, playing with a real spring in his step. He's bright, he's bubbly.

"He's someone enjoying his football, but we need to keep pushing him and working him hard to make sure he's getting to the levels I know he can get to."

Head coach David Gray says he would like to sign a new forward before Hibernian's Premiership opener against St Mirren next weekend. (The Scotsman)

Read the rest of Sunday's gossip.

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Hibs defender Jordan Obita wants to move swiftly on from last Saturday's disappointing League Cup defeat to Kelty Hearts when they face Peterhead in their final group-stage game.

David Gray's side top the group despite the 1-0 loss last time out, and a win against lower-league opposition this time around would take them into the knockout stages.

"We've worked to put things right from the last round," Obita said. "We've got to be positive, get the win and make progress to the next round,

"We let ourselves down against Kelty and we want to put things right tomorrow.

"Most teams that come to Easter Road tend to sit off and make things difficult for us. We've got enough quality to deal with it though and hopefully we can get the win."

Head coach David Gray urges Hibernian to make the most of a "second chance" in Saturday's Scottish League Cup tie with Peterhead after losing at Kelty Hearts last weekend. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription), external

Read Saturday's Scottish gossip

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"A reaction from Kelty is important," stressed David Gray ahead of Hibernian's final Premier Sports Cup game against Peterhead on Saturday.

Despite last weekend's shock defeat to League 1 Kelty Hearts has, Hibernian are still top of Group C on goal difference.

Locked on six points with Queen's Park and The Blue Toon, Gray's sole focus is on his side returning to winning ways.

“We can only worry about things that we can affect," he said. "I know it’s the group stages, but in many ways this is now a classic cup competition as we know we need to win to go through. We need to win the game as well as we can.

“It’s in our hands and we have to deliver that. The players are very much aware of the challenge in front of us, it’ll be a difficult game, but we need to reach the levels and standards that we’ve seen.

“What I would say is, the players have always delivered what we’ve asked of them, it was just the difference in both boxes last week.

“I don’t want to make excuses at all, we know where we can improve, and we’ve worked hard on that this week."

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David Gray has not been helped by this week's comments from Hibs' billionaire shareholder Bill Foley, according to Daily Record journalist Andy Newport.

Foley, part of the Black Knights consortium and owner of Premier League side Bournemouth, said the Hibs hierarchy haven't been listening to his advice so far, suggesting that Gray would not have been his pick for the top job.

"We saw the statement from Bill Foley, casting a little bit of doubt on the club's choice of manager," Newport said on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"You're a couple of games into your managerial career, you're looking to obviously get off to a positive start and to have one of the club's major shareholders suggesting that you probably weren't his top pick for the job - I don't think it will help."

Gray was appointed on a permanent basis in early June after his fourth spell as caretaker manager following the departure of Nick Montgomery.

"It'll be interesting to see how Hibs come through that. There's obviously a wee bit of turmoil this summer. That result [against Kelty Hearts] last week didn't help.

"That's one to watch just because if they don't get a result there then Hibs are back into that cycle of hiring guys and then within a couple of weeks of the season they're under pressure and they're perhaps looking to make a change.

"They had to do that last year with Lee Johnson. Nick Montgomery hasn't lasted long. You look back through Jack Ross, through to Shaun Maloney."

"That's a club that's really crying out for stability and to have a period of calm where a manager can get in, get his feet under the desk, get to know the players, get to know the squad and just take some of the drama away from it.

"There's been far too much of that at Easter Road recently so hopefully David Gray can get things settled down and perhaps win over Bill Foley's trust and maybe make the co-owner think again."

You can listen to the Scottish Football Podcast in full on BBC Sounds or by clicking the link here.

Hibernian's hopes of fetching in excess of £2.5m for forward Elie Youan, with clubs in his homeland and Italy credited with interest, have been put on hold after the 25-year-old picked up an injury against Queen's Park that head coach David Gray expects will keep the Frenchman sidelined for a couple of weeks. (Edinburgh Evening News), external

Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full here.

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Head coach David Gray has said he is "working extremely hard" to take Hibernian forward after Bill Foley criticised the club's decision making.

Foley, who has a 25% stake in the side, recently suggested that advice from his Black Knight group had not been taken on board.

"If the other ownership group at Hibernian listens to us, they will do better," the Bournemouth owner told BBC Sport.

However, Gray is confident in his ability to lead his side forward and in the process that led to his appointment.

“My job’s all about performance on the football pitch, that’s all I’m interested in at the moment," he told Sky Sports, external in response to Foley's remarks.

“The decisions that go on above my head are for the people that are up there to make these decisions.

“All I know is that I’ve gone through a process the same as everybody else and the powers that be at the football club decided I was the right man to take it forward.

“I’m delighted to be in the position to do that and I’m working extremely hard to make sure that I do that.”

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Hibernian lost 3-2 at home to Watford in Wednesday's pre-season friendly.

Josh Campbell put Hibs in front but Watford levelled through Imran Louza before former Celtic forward Rocco Vata put the visitors in front.

Substitute Harry McKirdy got the hosts' second only for Amin Nabizada to net Watford's winner.

Hibs head coach David Gray replaced most of his team at half-time and all players had been replaced by full-time. Gray's side host Peterhead in Saturday's final Scottish League Cup Group C game.

Former Hibs defender Ryan Porteous featured for the visitors.

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Inspired by a '90s classic, Hibernian's third kit takes supporters a trip down memory lane.

Designed in collaboration with Joma, the purple and green striped shirt is a nod to the strip worn by the side between 1994 and 1996.

In their reveal statement, Hibs say the kit is an instant "modern classic".

The team will wear the strip for the first time in Wednesday's friendly with Watford at Easter Road.

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The draw for the last 16 of the Scottish League Cup will take place on Sunday.

It will be broadcast live on Premier Sports following their coverage of Motherwell v Partick Thistle at Fir Park, which kicks off at 15:00 BST.

The top-flight's five European representatives - holders Rangers, Celtic, Hearts, Kilmarnock and St Mirren - will enter the draw and will also be seeded, along with the three best group winners.

All last-16 ties are scheduled to played on the weekend of 17/18 August.

Myziane Maolida, the 25-year-old forward who impressed on loan to Hibernian last season, has undergone a medical with Saudi Premier League club Al Kholood after being released by Hertha Berlin. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription), external

Read Tuesday's Scottish gossip

Hibernian head coach David Gray bemoaned problems at both ends of the park following the shock 1-0 loss to Kelty Hearts in the Scottish League Cup. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription), external

Read Sunday's Scottish gossip

Attacking signings are now Hibernian's priority after strengthening their defence. (Scotsman - subscription), external

Martin Boyle, 31, encourages Hibs team-mate Rudi Molotnikov, 18, to keep taking risks, even if it means making some mistakes. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription), external

Read Saturday's Scottish gossip

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David Gray is taking "no risks" with Chris Cadden and Elie Youan, after the pair suffered knocks in Hibernian's first two League Cup games.

Cadden came off in the first game against Elgin City with a thigh problem, while Youan took a hit against Queen's Park.

"It's a bit disappointing for Cadds, he got sent for a scan, he's got a little niggle in there, so he'll be another week or so," Gray said before Hibs' trip to Kelty Hearts.

"At this stage of the season I'm not going to take any risks and Elie [Youan] is a similar one. We need to assess that further."

On a positive note, though, Gray offered optimism on Harry McKirdy's return saying, "McKirdy has trained the last couple of days, he's looking really good.

"We've managed him through the last 10 days due to his loading but he's been bright and positive so he 'll be in the squad which is great.

"We're in a good place, but the focus now changes to a completely different challenge up at Kelty."

Hibs sit top of Group C with six points before their first ever game against Kelty.

"The boys have been nice and bright," Gray added. "Your legs always feel a little bit better off the back of a positive result, especially for the boys who got their first 90 minutes.

"It'll be my first time there too, it'll be a difficult challenge and all the pressure will be on us.

"These ties have the potential to be very tricky, so we have to make sure we do everything properly, like we have done in the last two competitive games."

Hibernian are monitoring the availability of Fulham and Scotland Under-21 forward Kieron Bowie, who could move north on loan, but the Scottish Premiership club have several other potential targets. (Edinburgh Evening News), external

Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full here.

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Jordan Smith will provide "healthy competition" in the goalkeeping department, according to David Gray as the shot-stopper signs on a two-year-deal.

The 29-year-old has over 150 competitive appearances under his belt and having come through the academy, spent 22 years in total at Nottingham Forest, who he represented 47 times in the English Championship.

After loan moves at Barnsley, Mansfield Town and Huddersfield Town, he joined Stockport County in July 2023.

Smith signs on the same day Jojo Wollacott left the club to join Crawley Town permanently.

Upon Smith's arrival, David Gray expressed his excitement at the move.

“He is a player with good experience playing at a high level in the English Championship and has strong pedigree and high standards having spent over 20 years at Nottingham Forest," the head coach said.

“He will provide healthy competition with Joe (Bursik) and Max (Boruc) in the goalkeeping department and we are all excited to work with him.”