‘Belief is the key,’ says boss David Gray after Hibs make history with another Ibrox triumph
Hibs boss David Gray revealed that he spent last week challenging his players to create history ahead of their 2-1 victory over Rangers at Ibrox.
Substitute Callum Wright’s injury-time strike ensured the Leith men left Glasgow’s south side with a league win for the third successive season.
It is the first time in their long history that Hibs have achieved that feat, and Gray was thrilled to see his players dig in and accept the challenge he’d set them.
‘A lot of people speak about history and usually it’s because something’s not been done for a very long time and it’s a negative thing,’ Gray said.
‘I’ve always tried to challenge the group to recreate our own history. That’s certainly something I spoke about.
‘I actually asked the question of the group, when do you think the last time it’s been done? Three times and nobody knew the answer clearly, but it’s because it’s never been done before.
Hibs boss David Gray challenged his players to win at Ibrox for a third consecutive season
Callum Wright’s winner makes history and sparks frenzied celebrations with the Hibs support
‘It shows you how good an achievement it is, how difficult a place this is to come, but also the quality we’ve got within the group that we’re able to go and do that.’
Seemingly hanging on for a point when Miguel Chaiwa scored an own goal to cancel out Josh Campbell’s penalty, Hibs steeled themselves and went for broke in injury time.
‘I think belief is key to any successful team,’ Gray added. ‘I think you’ve seen that. Three times in three seasons we’ve come here and done it and it’s not as if that happens a lot, anyway.
‘I actually feel the fans now believe coming along that we can go and get a result at times. It’s a difficult place to come, as we know.
Midfielder Josh Campbell puts Hibs on their way with an early goal from the penalty spot
‘But you need to believe it. If you don’t believe in yourself or you don’t believe as a group you’re capable of coming to places like this, then you’re wasting your time in the first place.
‘So, it’s certainly something we’ve tried to instil right from the start. Think back to even last season winning at Celtic Park as well… hadn’t been done for 20-odd years.’
Gray felt the decision to penalise Vanja Dragojevic for impeding Jason Kerr was correct.
‘At the time I didn’t think much of it, but the goalie coach actually said straight away, I think that could be a penalty,’ he said.
‘Then they broke away, then you kind of forget about it and then they’ll stop the game.
‘But seeing it back now, I think the officials and the VAR have got no option but to give it.’
