Is there cause for concern at Hibs?
The January transfer window is never an easy one, but at the time of writing, Hibernian are the only side in the Scottish Premiership yet to make a signing this window, even with key positions such as right- wing back and striker noticeably needing improved. David Gray may also need to strengthen at centre back with on-loan Zach Mitchell being recalled by Charlton as Nathan Jones deemed he wasn’t receiving enough game time for his development. This leaves Hibs with only four recognised centre backs to fill their favoured back three. Hibs fans have largely been devoid of transfer rumours in this window too. They’ve been linked to Sheffield Wednesday striker Bailey Cadamarteri, but the talks surrounding the Jamaican international have largely gone quiet. German fullback Felix Passlack has also been linked with a move to the capital. Many reports suggest that Passlack will become a Hibs player this window, although the deal is yet to materialise. In a pre-match press conference, Gray was asked about Hibs transfer activity- or lack of. He said: “We’ve still got ten days or so, so I expect there to be movement. I expect there are still things to happen. “In terms of our recruitment strategy and what we want to do, we’re working hard to try to do things, and if it can improve the group and it can be done, we certainly would like to do that. “In an ideal world, you want that done on day one. Every manager and coach around the country, all over the world, would say the same thing – the earlier you can get players in, the better. “It doesn’t always work like that, especially in the January window as well. Sometimes you need to be a little bit reactive. It is a case of when you get to the end of the window, making sure your squad is stronger than when you started. That is the key.” Hibernian will now look towards a hectic end to the window before the February 2nd deadline. Fans will be hoping for more transfer talk than just Cadamarteri and Passlack, who have been the only credible rumours thus far this window.
Andreas Skov Olsen signs for Rangers
Rangers have officially announced the signing of Andreas Skov Olsen on a six month loan deal from VfL Wolfsburg. They also have an option to buy the player for a reported amount of almost £9m. Rangers were first linked to the Danish international back in the summer of 2020, before their unbeaten league season, with manager Steven Gerrard being a keen admirer of the Dane. The club once again expressed interest in Skov Olsen two years later under Giovanni Van Bronckhorst, but the winger instead opted for a move elsewhere as he joined Club Brugge. Following a successful three years in Belgium, in which he scored almost 50 goals, Olsen signed for Wolfsburg last January, however injuries prevented the 26-year-old from making his mark in the Bundesliga. With the player showing a keen interest in making the switch to Glasgow, the arrival of Skov Olsen is seen as a statement signing for the Ibrox club, as Danny Röhl looks to add reinforcements to his squad following the acquisitions of midfielder Tochi Chukwuani from Sturm Graz for £4million and left back Tuur Rommens in a £3million deal from Westerlo. Röhl said regarding the signing: “We are really excited to bring Andreas to the club. He is a player who has proven himself at the top level and brings experience of performing under pressure both domestically and on the European stage. He will provide real quality in the final third of the pitch and arrives hungry for this challenge and excited by the opportunity ahead of him.” Rangers will be hoping to build momentum in 2026 as they focus their efforts on chasing down the league title in what is expected to be a tense battle with rivals Celtic and league leaders Hearts.
“Looking at him now, it’s a perfect fit” Neil Lennon praises David Gray ahead of Scottish Cup clash.
Hibs travel to Dunfermline tomorrow, where David Gray will face off against one of his former managers for the first time in his career. Gray was Lennon’s captain at Hibs from 2016-2019 where he lead the Edinburgh side to the Championship title and European football upon their return to the Premiership the following season. Neil Lennon currently finds himself at Championship side Dunfermline Athletic, who sit 5th in the table. After back-to-back postponements, Dunfermline haven’t played a competitive game since December 27th, where they beat local rivals Raith Rovers. Hibs come into the game on good form, boasting a five match unbeaten streak, which also includes a win against their local rivals Hearts on the 27th December. When asked for his perspective on his experiences with Gray, Lennon said: “He took on the responsibility of being captain very well. The players gravitated to him. He was a very good player. He scored some really important goals for me in Europe and domestic games as well. He was so committed. Loved to tackle. He was pretty consistent. “He was a really good captain for me. He was a really good buffer between me and the players. Whether I saw him being a head coach or not, you don’t think about those things at the time. Looking at him now, it’s a perfect fit. “Sometimes he was probably a bit more mature than myself.” Throughout his time at Hibs, David Gray has been managed by Alan Stubbs, Neil Lennon, Paul Heckingbottom and Jack Ross before hanging his boots up to join Jack Ross’ coaching staff, where he remained and worked under Shaun Maloney, Lee Johnson and Nick Montgomery. Upon the dismissal of each of these coaches, Gray would take charge on an interim basis before eventually landing the full time job last season. However, the start to Gray’s managerial career was extremely chaotic as Hibs only mustered one win from their opening fourteen, before producing a seventeen game unbeaten run, securing third place and European football. When asked for his thoughts on his ex-player’s resilience, Lennon said: “I thought he was brilliant last year because he had such a difficult start “He weathered all that pressure and scrutiny. He came out the other side of it to have a brilliant second half of the season. “At the start of the year, they were really good in Europe. Now they’ve hit a really good form again despite having a couple of players missing. “I’m delighted for him because I know what Hibs means to him. He’s a young coach. He’s had a real baptism of fire. He’s handled it brilliantly.” David Gray offered his own comments on Lennon’s time at Hibs, he said: “I’ve said a few times, he’s very much what the club needed at the time when they brought him in just after Alan Stubbs left and that was someone who’s got that winning mentality every single day in training, that’s what he wanted to see, he wanted his teams to be winning and driving that standard all the time. “It was exactly what we needed to get out of the Championship, we’d spent too long in the Championship as a football club “That attitude of making sure you’re going into every game with that winning mentality and it was definitely something he instilled in the team straight away and I fully expect that mindset to be going towards the Dunfermline players at the weekend, making sure they’re right up for it.” Ahead of this year’s Scottish Cup campaign, David Gray will be hoping to lead Hibs to the trophy 10 years after he scored the stoppage time winner as Hibs lifted the trophy for the first time in 114 years. Despite already having the chance to do so, a Scottish Cup win would also make David Gray the first person to win a trophy with Hibs as both a player and manager since Famous Five member and club legend Eddie Turnbull did so with his ‘Turnbull’s Tornadoes’ side in 1972. Gray lost the 2021 Premier Sports Cup final to Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic when in interim charge following the sacking of Jack Ross. Hibs travel to Dunfermline Athletic tomorrow for a 12:30 kick-off in the Scottish Cup fourth round, live on BBC Scotland in a match that is set to have a massive crowd inside East End Park as Hibs are expecting 5,000 of their own in the away end.
