TOP-SIX HOPES DASHED – NOW GRAY EYES BEST OF THE REST
DAVID GRAY insists finishing seventh in the Premiership is now the aim after Hibs failed to achieve their pre-season targets.
They were condemned to bottom-six football following a recent defeat to Hearts but beat St Mirren last weekend in their first post-split game – their first since Shaun Maloney was sacked as manager.
Caretaker boss Gray takes his squad to Livingston this weekend with aspirations of cementing seventh, with both teams on 41 points.
The Leith side began the campaign with aspirations of finishing in at least fourth spot but a run of one victory in 13 league outings under Maloney after the turn of the year put paid to those hopes.
Gray said: “We had to deal with the disappointment of not being able to achieve what we set out to do, which was the top six, a fourth-place finish at the start of the season. That’s what the aim was.
“That was the target before Saturday, to try to accumulate as many points as we can, finish seventh. Livingston is
going to be a really tough game, they have a really good squad, a talented bunch with a lot of ability.
“But it’s up to our players to go and express themselves and be confident.”
Gray, who also briefly took the reins following Jack Ross’ dismissal in the hotseat last December, insists he has been delighted with the response he has had from the players in training and against the Buddies.
Now set to remain in charge for the remainder of the season, Gray added: “I didn’t really do anything different (to the previous manager). The players were dealing with the disappointment they had and you are always just going to ask them to give you 100 per cent.
“Every single player did that against St Mirren, the reaction in training has been really good and it’s been like that for the last couple of weeks.
“There’s been a real intensity and desire in training and that’s something we need to keep going to make sure come the end of the season we have some momentum.”