Hibs give major post-transfer window update: squad evaluation, injury twist, Dykes and free agent stipulation
Sporting director Mackay has say on summer activity
Hibs sporting director Malky Mackay has declared himself satisfied with the club’s summer transfer window and is excited about what the rest of the year can bring.
The Easter Road side brought in eight players before the closure of the transfer window earlier this week - goalkeeper Raphael Sallinger, defenders Grant Hanley and Zach Mitchell, midfielders Josh Mulligan, Miguel Chaiwa, Dan Barlaser and Jamie McGrath plus striker Thibault Klidje, who arrived on a club record fee. Hibs also agreed contract extensions with key defender Rocky Bushiri and playmaker Junior Hoilett.
Mackay feels Hibs have a good blend in their team now and hopes they can keep building on last season’s third-placed finish in the Premiership.
“I'm reasonably happy with the business we've done,” said Mackay. “I think that the fact that we managed to get Rocky and Junior signed on again and keep that core of the squad together, we've got most of them on longer contracts now, was important. I think going into the new year, the new season, with that group that finished third, mostly still here, is terrific for the club.
“I think it's very important for the manager, for the club, for the continuity. I think it's the fact that that group then went into pre-season and they all come back in here on day one and they've had really good shared experiences together, successes together and understanding how to win. I think they get to know each other even more.
“Any manager will tell you if he can manage to keep a good group together for a period of time, that's when really good things can happen. I was delighted to get the core of that group back in here on day one of pre-season.
“I felt we needed another goalkeeper in the building so Raphael Sallinger came in very experienced, pushing Jordan [Smith], both pushing each other. We've got to a high level of goalkeeping training now with the two of them. He's come in and settled in very, very well.
Hibs’ Rolls Royce
“We got Jamie McGrath signed up and I was delighted and couldn't wait for him to arrive on day one of pre-season. He's exactly as I thought, an absolute Rolls Royce of a professional. Someone who has come in here, hit the ground running, knows Scottish football, is an international footballer and really has been someone that is the glue that joins the three areas together in the pitch, between the defence, the midfield and the forwards. So I'm delighted that we got that one done.
“Young Josh Mulligan has come in and again someone I knew from the under-21s in Scotland and someone who in the last year has really, really impressed me every time I watched him. So, great to get him in the building. He has come in and played in some really big games so far that it doesn't really seem to faze him who he plays against and puts people on the back foot right away. So, I think there's a lot more to come from him. There's a real potential there.
“We obviously brought in Thibaut Klidje as well. We looked into the Swiss market as well. You mentioned that blended mix of going for experience, going for youth, going for players that understand Scottish football and the UK market and also going into Europe to go and try and find some players over there that can really add to the group.
“Thibaut and Miguel Chaiwa have come in, both from Switzerland. I think that league is one that I find reasonably close [to Scotland] in terms of the intensity and also they've certainly got really good technique there as well in that league. But I think that's a league that's very similar to Scotland.
“Thibaut has come in and scored already, which is great. And him and Miguel have actually come in and settled really well. They've come in the last few weeks and let the group understand that they've been around it and the boys have brought them in and made it easy for them to adapt. So, I'm delighted with their contributions so far as well.
“We then go to a really experienced player in Grant Hanley. Delighted that we managed to get Grant in. Scotland international, someone that's played a lot of football. He was just one of those ones that came up at the right time and we had a good little chat about where he was at. I was delighted that he decided to choose Hibs.
“I think he'll be good for those around him as well. He's a leader and he's someone that already has contributed in the dressing room and training and on the pitch. In terms of the end of the window, you mentioned a lot of things.
Hibs signed two players on deadline day in the shape of midfielder Dan Barlaser on loan from Middlesbrough and defender Alex Mitchell on loan from Charlton, although his move was delayed due to an issue with FIFA’s TMS system. Mackay explained how the day panned out - and why a loan deal for Birmingham and Scotland striker Lyndon Dykes didn’t happen.
What happened on deadline day
“Deadline day is obviously always something people want to talk about,” continued Mackay. “Everyone has good plans and you would like to have all your transfer business done really early. In effect, that doesn't always happen because the domino effect from other clubs and players are coming in at the last minute.
“I think it's something that I'm really proud of the team that actually were here over the whole piece of the summer in terms of the transfer window. It's certainly a deadline day where we've got our whole medical team here. The media team are here. Our operations team are here. Our recruitment team are here. We've got some senior people here at the football club as well.
“We've got people all here from 9 o'clock in the morning to I think we left at quarter to two [the next morning]. It's a long time for people to be here and concentrating and making phone calls and finding information. It's part of your job, it's part of what you do to try and make our squad the best it can be.
“We want to make sure that the hip squad for this first half of the season is as good as it can be. Our head coach David Gray was there right to the death as well. He was there all day and it was great because he's in a moment, he's part of everything and he's seen what's going on as well and he's given his opinion.
“As I say, it's his squad at the end of the day so we're looking to see all day as to where, if anywhere, we can fine-tune it. We've had an injury to Alasana Manneh in midfield and we just felt we needed maybe something else in there and then Dan Barlaser came up, who's incredibly experienced. We did a bit of phone calls on him to find out character because, again, I don't want to bring people in here if they're not good people, if they're not a good character, if they're not fitting into the Hibs way of life and they're not going to pull on that badge.
“When we find out that he has got a professionalism that sets him to be the leader in the run about the middles and has played so much football at a high level in England, it was one that we just weren't able to turn down. It was very easily and very quickly done with Middlesbrough. They were excellent to deal with and very professional and it was something that I was delighted to get done.
“And also we brought Zach Mitchell in, on loan from Charlton. He has defensive cover, he's got real good potential, understands the league has been at St Johnstone and we were really impressed with him up there at the time. That was another one that came up reasonably late.
“We looked at it and we felt it just gives that extra cover defensively over the first part of the season. Obviously there was some paperwork that needed to be finished there but, again, it's one that we all looked at and thought it was going to be another good one for the football club. So, delighted to get him up and get him involved with the players as quickly as possible.
“Throughout the day there's agents throwing names at you by the minute to various people at the club. And you talk to clubs, various clubs, but it's a day where you really hope to have most of your business done and you're not reacting to things.
The Dykes chase
On Dykes, Mackay explained: “It's quite well known we had our conversations with Lyndon and Birmingham and we didn't manage to get them yet. It's as simple as that. Some you do and some you don't. We didn't at the end of the day. So we move on from that.”
Mackay is pleased with the level of quality within the Hibs squad. “We have got a good squad,” he said. “I'm delighted with the squad that we have got here for the first half of the season. We have a leaner squad but a much stronger squad than maybe when I walked in here a year ago. We didn't have to do the amount of transactions that we did last summer because we were gradually, I suppose, filtering down to a squad that the manager wants everyone that's here.
“And we have got some strategy in terms of some youngsters coming through, some experience. And some of the guys are in that mid-twenties position that are the core of the team. I think that's what brings success to football clubs. I think there has to be a blend. And we have to have assets. Clearly, we've got to have assets on the pitch. We've got to have youngsters and potential. But we need that steely determination through every player that's here. We need a character and a determination that is worthy of our badge.
Hibs will look at the free transfer market to see if their squad can be strengthened after landing experienced striker Dwight Gayle a year ago.
“There's also that frees market that's out there just now as well,” added Mackay in an interview with Hibs TV. “And we picked up well from that last year with Dwight GaYle. And we will look at that to see if there's anyone there that we feel is someone that could add to our group. I believe that I need a high bar to come into this football club and play for our first team.
“That has to be that high bar. So we'll see if anyone manages to attain that. And if they do, and we talk to them and we feel that they could help our first team in any way, then that's something we'll definitely look at as well.
“But I'll reiterate, to get anywhere near a first-team jersey at the football club right now, you'd better be at that level.”
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