Hibernian

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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.”

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Jojo Wollacott has left Hibernian to sign for English League One side Crawley Town permanently, just one year into his three-year deal.

The 27-year-old former Swindon and Charlton player made eight appearances after joining the Easter Road club last summer for an undisclosed fee.

He made his debut in the Europa Conference League qualifier against Inter Club D’Escaldes, but suffered a thigh injury and then struggled to replace David Marshall between the sticks.

Hibs sporting director Malky Mackay said: “Unfortunately, we couldn’t guarantee Jojo as much game time as he would like, we agreed it was best for him to continue his career down south, in a league that he knows well.”

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David Gray's understanding of the demands at Hibernian will be a "massive help" for the new head coach, says former club captain Marvin Bartley.

A former team-mate of Gray, Bartley feels there has been a mentality issue at Easter Road in recent seasons, but he believes the new boss is the man to address that.

Following several stints as interim manager, Scottish Cup-winning skipper Gray has started his spell as head coach with back-to-back five-goal League Cup group wins against Elgin and Queen's Park.

"David's been out there on that pitch and he understands the demands," Bartley told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"He understands what you have to do day in, day out to be successful at that football club, so I think that's a massive help.

"That was the one thing when I went into that football club, coming up from England. It's no secret people down in England look down on Scottish football as if it's Sunday league.

"And I feel Hibs have signed too many players who have maybe come with that attitude. And when you come with that attitude and realise it is a lot tougher than you expected, it's very, very difficult to then flip that mentality."

Bartley says Gray will be a boss who constantly reminds his players of the "standards they have to set" and is backing his former side to finish in the top five.

But "the biggest thing" he wants to see is for "the club win ugly".

"We all want to see free-flowing football," Bartley adds. "But there's nothing better than going home and seeing your team grind out a 1-0 win, people throwing their bodies on the line and blocking things.

"Then you can go home and say: 'That's my team and that's what I want to see'. I think that's what they need to do."

Former Hibernian captain Marvin Bartley believes his former club have signed too many players with the wrong mindset about Scottish football.

Click here to listen to more on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

Hibernian are the team in focus in Thursday's Scottish Football Podcast.

With the start of the new Premiership season fast approaching, BBC presenter Amy Canavan hosts former Hibs captain Marvin Bartley and fan podcaster Colin Wilkinson.

Click here to listen.

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Hibernian intend to carry out their own recruitment before turning to Bill Foley's Black Knight network for marquee additions. (Edinburgh Evening News), external

Read the rest of Thursday's Scottish football gossip.

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Ewan Henderson has joined Belgian side Beerschot on a permanent deal.

Hibs received a six-figure sum for the midfielder and the deal includes a sell-on clause.

The 24-year-old came through Celtic's youth academy before joining Hibs in 2022, initially on loan.

He departs have made 56 appearances and scored five goals for the Easter Road club.

Henderson spent last season on loan with KV Oostende and now returns to Belgium with top-flight Beerschot.

"I wish Hendo all the best for the future," said head coach David Gray.

“He showed last season that the style of football in Belgium really suits him and shows off some of his best attributes.

"I think he will relish a new environment and kick on in his career."

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Rudi Molotnikov says scoring his first Hibs goal was a moment he's been thinking about for years.

The 18-year-old crowed his man-of-the-match performance with a well-taken goal in Tuesday night's 5-1 League Cup win over Queen's Park.

"I just saw the ball drop to Josh Campbell and it was a perfect pass from him," the midfielder told club media.

"I couldn't have asked for any better.

"I was thinking about that moment since I was young, for it to happen with my family up in the stands, it was perfect."

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Hibs boss David Gray hailed the confidence of 18-year-old forward Rudi Molotnikov after he scored his first senior goal in the 5-1 League Cup win over Queen’s Park.

The teenager grabbed Hibs' third, with a Martin Boyle brace and strikes from Dylan Levitt and new signing Warren O'Hora wrapping up the goals.

"Rudi’s enjoying himself at the moment, he’s full of confidence," Gray said.

"He was around the first team a lot last year training-wise, he’s got that pace and power and he just needed that confidence to come out in him.

"This season he’s come back in pre-season, I had a good chat with him, he’s been with the first team every day and he’s really imposing himself."

It's the second five-star performance from Hibs in a row in the competition, and Gray was impressed with the attitude of his side.

"I’m delighted," he said. "Everything we asked the players to do, they delivered.

"I thought the energy levels, commitment and attitude of every player was spot-on. You saw that with the chances we created and the goals we scored.

"I was slightly disappointed to lose a goal at the very end if we’re being a bit critical but it was a fantastic performance."

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Hibernian right-back Chris Cadden is set to undergo a scan to determine the extent of a thigh injury, head coach David Gray has confirmed.

The 27-year-old came off with the issue during Hibs' League Cup group win at Elgin, but Gray is hopeful "he has caught that one early enough".

"We don’t want to take any chances," the Easter Road boss said of Cadden, who returned from long-term injury at the end of last season.

"So we will get that scanned just to make sure we know what we are dealing with. Once we get the results back we will put a plan in place, but he is positive about how he feels on that."

Forward duo Harry McKirdy and Elie Youan missed Saturday's win, but Gray provided a positive update on both players prior to Tuesday's League Cup group game with Queen's Park.

"McKirdy is getting there everyday," the Hibs boss added. "This one will come slightly too soon for him, but he is days away.

"Elie is back in training this morning after his illness. He is feeling better, but we just need to see how his body reacts to training and monitor that."

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Head coach David Gray was pleased with "a real professional performance" as Hibs opened the season with a 5-0 win at Elgin City in the Premier Sports Cup.

"These ties have always got the potential to become quite tricky but I thought we dealt with it really well," he told BBC Scotland.

Dylan Vente scored twice in the first half, with the Dutchman completing a hat-trick after goals from Marvin Ekpiteta and Martin Boyle.

"I thought actually once we got the first goal we were a wee bit sloppy, credit to Elgin as they came back into the game pretty quickly to cause us a couple of issues," said Gray.

"We managed to fix that and then in the second half we really took control of the game and the subs coming as well made a difference and added to that, so that was good, a real collective team effort.

"It's a big thing we have focused on pre-season, that reaction to losing the ball, how important that is and the desire to defend your goal. I think that was evident again today, delighted with the clean sheet. All in all, a real professional performance."

Summer signings Ekpiteta, Warren O'Hora and Josef Bursik all started at at Borough Briggs and Gray expects more new arrivals.

"I don’t really like to put a number on it, it's more about the type of people and what opportunities become available," he said.

"We need to bring in people that are going to enhance the squad.

"We have got a good squad at the moment. If we can add a little bit more, then great.

"We are constantly working to try and improve that and it is something naturally that happens when the window is open and early on in a season that there will be ins and there will be outs and the squad will evolve as we move forward."