Hibs reaction: Gray has say on McKirdy future, why new signings didn't play, Youan update

Hibs head coach David Gray has challenged Harry McKirdy to make himself a first-team regular at the club after the forward netted in 5-0 pre-season win over Edinburgh City at Meadowbank.

The 27-year-old's 18-month spell at Hibs has so far not gone to plan, struggling to make an impact under previous bosses Lee Johnson and Nick Montgomery and having to deal with a heart defect that required major surgery this time last year. But McKirdy - who spent the second half of last season on loan at Swindon Town - is now back to full health and has been given a clean slate by Gray. He scored a 30-yard lob in his 45-minute cameo against City.

"I thought he did well, I thought everybody did well," said Gray. "The biggest thing for me was the application from everyone, the clean sheet and to win the game.

Elie Youan was at Meadowbank to watch Hibs play Edinburgh City. | SNS Group

"You see the ability he goes, he does that everyday in training and applies himself really well. He has come back in really good condition and started the season well so you can clearly see he has that quality and it’s up to him to keep pushing every single day.

"He is a brilliant trainer and works really hard, you can see the quality he’s got. It’s probably not gone the way he wanted it to go when he first joined the club but he recognises what is in front of him and it’s up to him to work as hard as he can and up to us as staff to get the best out of him.

“But the players we’ve got, they’ve all got opportunities to impress. Regardless of whether that’s now or in any game, every time you go on the training pitch, you’ve got a responsibility to be the best you can be. That’s the important bit, that every player does that every day – because being judged every day is part of being a professional footballer."

Hibs were streets ahead of their League Two counterparts at Meadowbank. Gray fielded two different XIs in each half and his men were 3-0 ahead by the half-hour mark thanks to goals from Chris Cadden, Dylan Levitt and McKirdy. Further goals in the second period from Reuben McAllister and Josh Campbell capped off a good afternoon for the Hibees, with the emphasis still on building up fitness and stamina.

Harry McKirdy was on target in the 5-0 win. | SNS Group

"The big thing is that it’s been a hard week for the players, even three sessions on Friday so with the mental side of that and to push through it and come through the game unscathed was great," said Gray. "It was a good end to a good week."

Goalkeeper Josef Bursik was the only new signing to play and on his appearance, Gray said: “It’s just the timing on when people joined the club. Obviously, Josef played today and it’s great to get 45 minutes; he’s stepped it up this week.

“The other two additions [defenders Warren O'Hora and Marvin Ekpiteta] are slightly behind on that one and we’ve got international players coming back, so there’s a slightly split group, with those guys training separately this morning. But we’ll all come together on Monday morning."

Forward Elie Youan, whose future remains unclear after interest from clubs in France and Italy, was at Meadowbank but not stripped to play after reporting for pre-season on Friday. “Elie Youan trained at HTC this morning, came through that really well,” added Gray.