No old-pals’ act in Gray’s line-up

DAVID GRAY insists he won’t be blinded by dressing-room loyalties as he attempts to lead Hibernian to League Cup glory.

The 33-year-old will take charge of the team as interim boss in today’s final against Celtic at Hampden ahead of Shaun Maloney’s expected appointment as the Easter Road club’s new manager this week.

Gray, whose stoppage-time winner sealed the Scottish Cup for Hibs in 2016, has been thrust into the spotlight following Jack Ross’s exit.

But despite forming a close bond with the players, including senior members since his arrival at Easter Road in 2014, he is determined to not be distracted by friendships when he picks his team.

‘Only 11 players can start the game, so there are going to be disappointments, which you fully expect,’ said Gray. ‘I would want players to be disappointed if they aren’t selected. For me, it is about picking the team that I believe will give us the best chance of

winning the cup. But I know that, as a group we are all in this together. You have seen that in the last couple of games. It has been the message from the coaching staff about the need to stay together, believe in ourselves and go into games with confidence.’

Gray has also urged the Hibs players to use last season’s cup heartache to fire them to victory. They lost the delayed 2019/2020 Scottish Cup semi-final against Hearts at Hampden. They were thrashed 3-0 by St Johnstone in the League Cup semi, before the Perth side edged them 1-0 in the Scottish Cup final.

‘I think everyone deals with that differently,’ added Gray. ‘Going into the 2016 Scottish Cup final, I used the disappointment of losing the League Cup final (against Ross County) that same year as motivation because I never wanted that feeling again.

‘I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to go back to Hampden that same year. We are now in another cup final. The next stage is for the players to go and win a trophy — and I think they can do that.’