Experience & Expertise

[Winston Ingram]

Following last season’s disastrous appointment of Montgomery, any organisation making a mistake of that size, would typically look to bring in stable, experienced leadership to steer a recovery.

After appointing a Director of Football, Director of Performance, and Manager, none of whom had previously held these roles, one of the most baffling aspects was the choice of backroom staff to support David Gray.

Ordinarily, when a young or inexperienced manager is hired, it’s standard practice to bring in at least one seasoned professional to support them. However, in this case, the club did the opposite, assembling a team of rookies, none of whom hold their pro-licence.

Liam Craig’s experience as Assistant Manager amounts to just four months earlier this year with Queen’s Park, while Eddie May I believe has no coaching badges at all, with his last permanent adult coaching role dating back 15 years to when he managed Falkirk to 3 wins in 23 before they eventually got relegated. Every other role he's had has been admin based or youth coaching.

This setup seems to reflect the broader issues affecting the club. It feels as though no one has the necessary experience or expertise to rely on, with everyone, including the Gordon's simply winging it. Aside from Ben Kensell on the business side, there appears to be little proven track record across any area of the key football positions in the club.

We are currently a walking definition of the blind leading the blind and I find it difficult to see how we are going to improve with these people in charge.

[Hibeesforever]

The lack of experience is the key for me too...players must look at the backroom staff and wonder where the success is...can only blame the board....amateurs!

[One Day Soon]

Following last season’s disastrous appointment of Montgomery, any organisation making a mistake of that size, would typically look to bring in stable, experienced leadership to steer a recovery.

After appointing a Director of Football, Director of Performance, and Manager, none of whom had previously held these roles, one of the most baffling aspects was the choice of backroom staff to support David Gray.

Ordinarily, when a young or inexperienced manager is hired, it’s standard practice to bring in at least one seasoned professional to support them. However, in this case, the club did the opposite, assembling a team of rookies, none of whom hold their pro-licence.

Liam Craig’s experience as Assistant Manager amounts to just four months earlier this year with Queen’s Park, while Eddie May I believe has no coaching badges at all, with his last permanent adult coaching role dating back 15 years to when he managed Falkirk to 3 wins in 23 before they eventually got relegated. Every other role he's had has been admin based or youth coaching.

This setup seems to reflect the broader issues affecting the club. It feels as though no one has the necessary experience or expertise to rely on, with everyone, including the Gordon's simply winging it. Aside from Ben Kensell on the business side, there appears to be little proven track record across any area of the key football positions in the club.

We are currently a walking definition of the blind leading the blind and I find it difficult to see how we are going to improve with these people in charge.


None of that is accidental. They surround themselves with inexperienced and relatively cheap people who won't kick up a fuss for a reason.

[number9dream]

MM was performance director at the SFA for more than four years but I'm not sure what the job entailed and whether that's the same as being "in charge of the entire football operation" at Hibs, which manages to sound vague and a colossal task at the same time.
In terms of recruitment for example, have all our signings been on him? Does Gray get a say? Has he put in any measures on how we sign players in future?

[NC1875]

MM was performance director at the SFA for more than four years but I'm not sure what the job entailed and whether that's the same as being "in charge of the entire football operation" at Hibs, which manages to sound vague and a colossal task at the same time.
In terms of recruitment for example, have all our signings been on him? Does Gray get a say? Has he put in any measures on how we sign players in future?

Remember when he came in saying we’ll only sign the right “characters” to improve the squad. Hes managed to add another team full of losers to the numerous losers that were already in the building.

Him, Gray and that ridiculous coaching team need to go and let BK’s bring in their own people.

Kensells another one that needs to go but that’s a different conversation and you could argue that if the Bk’s get there football people in that Kensell should then have nothing to do with football matters.

[J-C]

Pretty sure May is a fully qualified coach with a pro license, he prefers coaching and working with the youth set up.

[Winston Ingram]

Pretty sure May is a fully qualified coach with a pro license, he prefers coaching and working with the youth set up.

He absolutely is not. The only pro-licence holders in the entire club are Gareth Evans and James McDonaugh.

[overdrive]

He absolutely is not. The only pro-licence holders in the entire club are Gareth Evans and James McDonaugh.

Mackay too (accept he isn't actually doing any coaching though)

[Since452]

He absolutely is not. The only pro-licence holders in the entire club are Gareth Evans and James McDonaugh.

That's frightening. Little wonder we find ourselves where we do.

[Jones28]

That's frightening. Little wonder we find ourselves where we do.

It is scary when you put it like that. Having NO fully qualified first team coaches? Really Hibs?

[21May16]

It is scary when you put it like that. Having NO fully qualified first team coaches? Really Hibs?

Who in the love of Sauzee thought this was the best idea to take us forward?

Malkay is our Craig Levein when he took Neilson Ross and that other boy Fox in the coaching school. Watch for him passing down notes to the dugout in the next few weeks.

An absolute shambles.

[J-C]

He absolutely is not. The only pro-licence holders in the entire club are Gareth Evans and James McDonaugh.

Sorry, I thought he was, bit surprised as he's been coaching at the club for a while now.

Is McDonaugh still at the club?

[Winston Ingram]

Sorry, I thought he was, bit surprised as he's been coaching at the club for a while now.

Is McDonaugh still at the club?

He is yeah. He's head of some particular youth section i believe

[hibee-boys]

Pretty sure May is a fully qualified coach with a pro license, he prefers coaching and working with the youth set up.

I wish he’d let the club know this when he was offered the first team coach position then. Given that we’ve produced 1 or 2 youth players that have contributed to the first team squad in over a decade that’s another footballing area of the club that has failed spectacularly.

[Waxy]

There’s alot of “trust me ,i know what i’m doing” been going on.

[Winston Ingram]

I wish he’d let the club know this when he was offered the first team coach position then. Given that we’ve produced 1 or 2 youth players that have contributed to the first team squad in over a decade that’s another footballing area of the club that has failed spectacularly.

He's been here a decade

[hibee-boys]

He's been here a decade

That’s my point, a key figure in the youth set up which has produced very little yet qualified him for a promotion to first team coaching team. Jobs for the boys throughout this club unfortunately.

[GreenCastle]

It’s typical Scottish football “jobs for the boys”.

Alarm bells for me when Gray was announced it and took so long to announce his coaching staff.

Even more alarm bells when he brought in Craig - Samson and May - zero inspiration in that group.

[Pretty Boy]

It’s typical Scottish football “jobs for the boys”.

Alarm bells for me when Gray was announced it and took so long to announce his coaching staff.

Even more alarm bells when he brought in Craig - Samson and May - zero inspiration in that group.

It's been done to death already but it does seem amazing to me that we (allegedly) carried out a full review of a failing football department and the review found that the answer to all our problems were people right under our noses.

The Sporting Director happened to be a good pal of the Chairman who was already unofficially hanging about the place for weeks. The best person for the role of Technical Performance Manager happened to be a retiring goalkeeper already at the club. The best choice for Head Coach was a coach who had already been part of several failed management teams. One of the choices for his backroom team happened to be a guy who has worked with the youths at the club for a decade.

I understand a level of continuity isn't necessarily a bad thing but that seems like a lot of serendipity.

[green day]

I wish he’d let the club know this when he was offered the first team coach position then. Given that we’ve produced 1 or 2 youth players that have contributed to the first team squad in over a decade that’s another footballing area of the club that has failed spectacularly.

Compare and contrast with Motherwell, who genuinely invest in and nurture youth.........not with a view to winning every game, but with a view to introducing them to the first team.

I know its a side issue to the current shambles, but we need to either decide to invest properly in youth for an end product, or just bin it and buy players in.

[Winston Ingram]

That’s my point, a key figure in the youth set up which has produced very little yet qualified him for a promotion to first team coaching team. Jobs for the boys throughout this club unfortunately.

Totally agree. It baffles me how he's still in a job. He was Loans Manager for a while as well. Always seems to end up with a job despite his lack of qualifications or any track record of success. I can only assume he's a mate of Gordon and Kensell.

[Winston Ingram]

It's been done to death already but it does seem amazing to me that we (allegedly) carried out a full review of a failing football department and the review found that the answer to all our problems were people right under our noses.

The Sporting Director happened to be a good pal of the Chairman who was already unofficially hanging about the place for weeks. The best person for the role of Technical Performance Manager happened to be a retiring goalkeeper already at the club. The best choice for Head Coach was a coach who had already been part of several failed management teams. One of the choices for his backroom team happened to be a guy who has worked with the youths at the club for a decade.

I understand a level of continuity isn't necessarily a bad thing but that seems like a lot of serendipity.

He may have worked with them, but it doesn't appear to have involved him doing any coaching.

[blackpoolhibs]

It's been done to death already but it does seem amazing to me that we (allegedly) carried out a full review of a failing football department and the review found that the answer to all our problems were people right under our noses.

The Sporting Director happened to be a good pal of the Chairman who was already unofficially hanging about the place for weeks. The best person for the role of Technical Performance Manager happened to be a retiring goalkeeper already at the club. The best choice for Head Coach was a coach who had already been part of several failed management teams. One of the choices for his backroom team happened to be a guy who has worked with the youths at the club for a decade.

I understand a level of continuity isn't necessarily a bad thing but that seems like a lot of serendipity.

Remember how we laughed when Jim Jeffries was appointed again at the gimps when he was in the club shop shopping.

I dont believe there was a review, has anyone seen the results of it?:dunno:

[Paulie Walnuts]

Remember how we laughed when Jim Jeffries was appointed again at the gimps when he was in the club shop shopping.

I dont believe there was a review, has anyone seen the results of it?:dunno:

I’m almost certain no review was ever completed as put simply, there’s no way a review could ever come to the conclusions Ben and Ian have managed to come to. The timelines also don’t really add up with regards to a review.

[Winston Ingram]

I’m almost certain no review was ever completed as put simply, there’s no way a review could ever come to the conclusions Ben and Ian have managed to come to. The timelines also don’t really add up with regards to a review.

Depends on what the criteria for the review was…

Is he my mate✅
Does he work here already✅

[The Harp Awakes]

Following last season’s disastrous appointment of Montgomery, any organisation making a mistake of that size, would typically look to bring in stable, experienced leadership to steer a recovery.

After appointing a Director of Football, Director of Performance, and Manager, none of whom had previously held these roles, one of the most baffling aspects was the choice of backroom staff to support David Gray.

Ordinarily, when a young or inexperienced manager is hired, it’s standard practice to bring in at least one seasoned professional to support them. However, in this case, the club did the opposite, assembling a team of rookies, none of whom hold their pro-licence.

Liam Craig’s experience as Assistant Manager amounts to just four months earlier this year with Queen’s Park, while Eddie May I believe has no coaching badges at all, with his last permanent adult coaching role dating back 15 years to when he managed Falkirk to 3 wins in 23 before they eventually got relegated. Every other role he's had has been admin based or youth coaching.

This setup seems to reflect the broader issues affecting the club. It feels as though no one has the necessary experience or expertise to rely on, with everyone, including the Gordon's simply winging it. Aside from Ben Kensell on the business side, there appears to be little proven track record across any area of the key football positions in the club.

We are currently a walking definition of the blind leading the blind and I find it difficult to see how we are going to improve with these people in charge.

Nailed it.

The recruitment decisions by the club's custodians over a significant period of time is clearly reckless.

[Baader]

Staggering. Theyve somehow managed to implement a model that was doomed to fail. There are people on here who could run a football club better than that. You don't need a business degree to realise that with so many rookies some hands on experience in the football department was drastically required.