Former Hibs star Tam McManus thinks the club’s sporting director Malky Mackay should be exempt from criticism at the moment.
The Hibees are in huge trouble at the bottom of the Premiership as defeat to St Mirren on Saturday left them with just one win in 12 league games this season.
David Gray’s job seemed to be on a shoogly peg after the 2-1 defeat but the Hibs hierarchy clarified on Monday that they will continue to support the rookie boss despite his struggle to find results.
McManus told PLZ Soccer before Hibs’ damaging loss to the Buddies that chief executive Ben Kensell and Mackay should be feeling as much heat as Gray at the moment given they hired the club legend as boss in the summer.
Supporters turned on both Kensell and Mackay at the weekend as they made it clear who they think is responsible for Hibs’ current plight.
McManus agrees that the running of the club is the main issue and not David Gray. But he stopped short of criticising sporting director Mackay, who joined Hibs in May, and explained why it’s unfair to reprimand him.
Tam McManus defends Hibs sporting director Malky Mackay
Writing in the Daily Record, McManus said: “The ownership of the club has proven over the past two years that they really don’t know what they are doing. That’s the whole point. I don’t think Gray is the problem. The problems go far deeper.
“The supporters are clear on that and you can tell it by the fact they backed him after the match because that’s unusual for any manager in his position at the bottom of the league.
“Mind you, Hibs sang Franck Sauzee’s name the last game before he got the sack so I don’t think that goes for much.
“But that backing for Gray tells you what the fans think. They believe the problems are up the stairs at the club and not in the technical area. I’m not going to argue with that.
“The problems are with the owner Ian Gordon and with CEO Ben Kensell. I’m loathe to add Malky Mackay’s name to that list because he’s only just in the door. It feels unfair.
“He’s also being targeted by fans and many didn’t want him in the door in the first place. But he’s only just arrived and it’s pretty harsh to bundle the sporting director in with the constant mistakes of the past two years, even if he was part of the Gray appointment.”
McManus on Hibs losing to St Mirren
Hibs were outplayed by the Buddies, who went seven points clear of the Leith outfit in the league.
McManus thinks it was a game of two halves for Hibs but ultimately, they didn’t show enough to get any more points on the board.
He continued: “I’m not going to dress up what is happening on the park. The St Mirren game was horrible.
“You waited for Hibs to get on the front foot, get the fans behind them… it was the total opposite. Saints flew out of the traps and the first-half performance was so bad.
“The second half was better but the game was done. It’s not happening for Martin Boyle at the moment but if his penalty went in, who knows?
“That’s clutching perhaps because the team is so low on confidence and it’s showing. But don’t tell me they’ve given up or are throwing Gray under a bus.
“I’ve never been in a team that has chucked it and I’ve been relegated. It’s just a turn of phrase from angry fans.
“Confidence is everything and it’s zero at the moment. Players are making mistakes and fans are getting on their backs.
“Some don’t want the ball, don’t want to try things. Easter Road’s a tough place when things aren’t going well. I had it during Bobby Williamson’s time.
“It’s not looking great for Gray and it’s hard to see the upturn. But I really hope he gets the opportunity to try to turn this thing around.”