David Gray has defended Elie Youan over his actions when Hibs went down to ten men against Dundee.
Gray’s side lost Jordan Obita to a straight red card in the 12th minute of the defeat to Dundee on Saturday evening, after they had started well by taking an early lead.
While there was a break in play for Dee midfielder Mo Sylla to receive treatment, allowing the Hibees boss to get instructions on, Youan was seen casually doing keepy-uppies with the ball.
Michael Stewart was scathing of those actions on Premier Sports commentary and Hibs hero Marvin Bartley was also fuming, branding the Frenchman “embarrassing.”
Gray defends Hibs star Youan
Hibs boss David Gray met the media today ahead of his latest high-pressure fixture at home to Aberdeen tomorrow night.
And naturally he was asked about the moment involving Youan and the furore surrounding it.
Gray has leapt to the defence of his player though and insists far too much has been made of the situation.
He says Youan was instantly aware of the changes that were being made and where he needed to be on the pitch, so there was no lack of focus or suchlike from the player.
He said: “I think anyone who knows Elie Youan knows he loves football. He loves being on the pitch, he’s enjoying football, that’s when he’s happiest, when he’s on the pitch.
“I’d fully understand it if the game was about to go on or I hadn’t had the information on or actually if I’d pulled all the players across and he wasn’t over and he was doing his own thing, then I would understand exactly the magnitude of making the point on it.
“But I didn’t see it at the time. My information went on very quickly as to what we wanted to do at the red card, especially for the next five minutes, to see what Dundee would do, to be honest, because of how well we started in the game.
“So, the plan was on very quickly. He knew exactly where he was and he went into position very quickly.
“So I think a lot’s been made of it. But I think if you actually know him, I don’t think there’s any malice in what he was doing. But I understand why the question would be asked and why Marvin, singled out, especially, his feelings on it.”
What Bartley said on Youan
Bartley didn’t mince his words when speaking about Youan after the match at Dens.
He insisted the forward was ’embarrassing’ and also cited the fact that nobody else pulled him up as a sign of the times at Easter Road.
He told Premier Sports: “It’s embarrassing. It sums it up at the moment that he’s been allowed to get away with this. Not only is he doing it, he’s got players looking at him and allowing him to do it.
“So either he does what he wants and he doesn’t listen anyway, OR, the players don’t care. I don’t know which one of the two it is.
“But that is not acceptable. You’ve just had a player sent off. Get across to your manager, find out what you’re going to do for the next 10 or 15 minutes to see this game out until half-time or whatever else it might be. But doing that… that just sums up the players.”
Bartley also launched a tirade against the Hibs squad as a whole, accusing them of not caring enough about the position they find themselves in.