DAVID Gray says there is a Cup Final attitude and mindset amongst his players ahead of tonight’s game against KAA Gent at Easter Road.
Hibs head into the second leg of their UEFA Conference League Play-Off Round with the tie evenly poised after a disciplined performance last week.
A goalless draw in Ghent has meant that it is all to play for in the second leg – with Hibs potentially 90 minutes away from joining Hearts in the Group Stages/League Phase of UEFA competition for the first time in their history.
Speaking ahead of the crucial tie, Gray highlighted the excitement and positivity among the group.
“I think, as you’d imagine, everyone’s really looking forward to the game. I think there’s a real buzz around the place,” Gray told Hibs TV.
“What the players have done is they’ve given themselves a brilliant opportunity because of how the first leg went.
“That’s all you can ask for going away from home in Europe – keeping the tie alive and coming home. It is that Cup final attitude and mindset going into the game, and the special thing about it is we’re going to be at home as well.”
The additional week between fixtures has also allowed the squad valuable time to recover and prepare, something Gray believes has been particularly beneficial given the hectic demands of the start of the 2026/27 campaign.
“That was hugely beneficial”, Gray continued.
“It just gave us the first chance – since the start of the season – to give the players a little bit of a shutdown in terms of that mentality, mindset, even waking up in the morning and not coming to work.
“We flew straight home after the game, which allowed the players to wake up in their own bed and have a full day off before you start building up the recovery process and looking ahead to the next leg.
“Mentally, it was great to shut the players down for a couple of days, and we’ve definitely got the benefits from that as the week went on.”
Reflecting on last Thursday’s first leg, Gray was pleased with overall performance but insists his side needs to carry more of an attacking threat at Easter Road.
“The players were very disciplined, it was a really strong away performance, with and without the ball.
“Now, for us to go and win the tie, we need to be better in a more attacking sense, which will happen naturally because we’re now only 90 minutes or 120 minutes away – the mindset is very different.”
“They’re a really good side with real talent throughout the squad. They play at the level they do for a reason, so we’re very much aware of that threat. But, as I’ve already said, the players have put themselves in a position where the tie is very much alive.
“If we play to our levels and every single player performs to the maximum, we have a real good chance of getting into the group stages of European competition.”
With Easter Road nearing a sell-out, Gray is determined to deliver another memorable night for all those associated with the Club.
“I spoke about it at the start of the season, about these being the best nights to be involved in, special nights to be involved in. They’re only special because of what the fans do, to be honest.
“It’s experiencing it with the fans, and you’ve seen that connection even over there. We’ve taken the tie back to Easter Road and you know it is going to be that cup final sort of atmosphere.
“Right from the first kick of the ball, we need the fans to be right behind us – for the first kick, for the last kick and every kick in between. I know they will be, we are all pulling in the same direction to make sure we have one of the most special nights at Easter Road for a long, long time.
“The opportunity’s there. It’s a difficult one, but one that I’m sure every single person is looking forward to.”
