Hibs Advance in Conference League: Fans Debate Gray’s Tactics
Hibernian are one step from the Conference League groups after Thursday night’s goalless draw with Shkendija in North Macedonia, and the mood among supporters is a mix of relief, pride and a nagging sense that this team still hasn’t fully arrived.
The tie is done. The job is done. The debate is very much not.
‘Job done’ – but not one for the scrapbook
For many, the result outweighed the spectacle.
“Job done. Not pretty but a clean sheet away in Europe is nothing to be sniffed at,” said Calum, summing up the pragmatic camp. A 0-0 away from home in Europe, with progression secured, still carries weight, even when the entertainment value is low.
John struck a similar note. The football didn’t thrill him, but the outcome did.
“Well done Hibs, not the best of games to watch but who cares. Getting to the play-offs is all that counted,” he said, adding that he never really felt the side were under threat. In his eyes, Shkendija posed more problems at Easter Road than they did on their own patch.
That sense of professional assurance – of a team that knew what it needed and delivered it without fuss – ran through a chunk of the reaction. For them, this was a mature European away performance, not a missed opportunity to dazzle.
Gray’s caution under the microscope
Not everyone was in the mood to applaud the pragmatism.
Kenny, buoyed by the weekend win over Rangers, wants David Gray to loosen the handbrake, particularly on domestic duty.
“A great result following on from the win against Rangers at the weekend,” he began, before turning to tactics. Gray, he argued, “now needs to have more faith that we can beat teams around us without resorting to the defensive tactics that we seem to deploy in the Premiership.”
The message was clear: this squad can play on the front foot, and the support will back them if they see that intent. The frustration lies in seeing Hibs retreat, give the ball away in dangerous areas and invite pressure around their own 18-yard box.
“The players are there, no good being too negative,” Kenny warned. The European clean sheet is welcome, but he doesn’t want it to become an excuse for caution in the league.
Quality questions and a record signing on the fringes
A Graham went further, challenging Gray’s assessment of the opposition and voicing concern about the squad’s development.
Gray described Shkendija as “a really good side”. A Graham did not agree.
“They were awful and we played at their level over the tie with poor passing,” came the blunt verdict. Hibs, in his view, dropped to the standard in front of them rather than imposing their own.
The criticism didn’t stop there. The forward line came under fire for being “lacklustre”, and the situation surrounding the club’s record signing – unable to force his way into the side over the tie – raised eyebrows.
“Hopefully some more signings to come as I’m struggling to see improvements in the ones we have so far,” he added. The Rangers win, he fears, might be the outlier rather than the new normal. Until Hibs find a consistent gear, optimism will be cautious.
Professional, yes – but what comes next?
Neil sat somewhere between satisfaction and ambition.
“Well done Hibs, not pretty but a professional job,” he said, echoing the dominant theme of a solid, if unspectacular, night’s work. His gaze, though, is already fixed on the next step.
“Let’s hope we can get over this last hurdle and into the next stage for the first time.”
That’s the crux of it. A goalless draw in North Macedonia has done its immediate work: Hibs are in the Conference League play-off. The clean sheet is banked, the tie safely navigated, the European journey extended.
Now comes the real question for Gray and his players: is this just a careful, calculated stepping stone, or a sign that Hibs are still holding something back when the season is begging them to let go?
