David Gray opens up on Martin Boyle's Hibs future and says personal rapport won't get in way of big calls

In-form forward’s contract expires at end of season

Hibs head coach David Gray believes Martin Boyle is returning to his peak form but admitted he will not let his personal relationship with the forward cloud his judgment on any calls to be made on the 31-year-old’s future.

Boyle is out of contract at the end of the season, although Hibs do have the option to extend it by a further year. The Australia internationalist has been linked with a move to the A-League over the past nine months, especially as he is still a prominent member of the Socceroos squad that is pushing to qualify for the World Cup.

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The former Dundee man struggled at the start of the season to break into Gray’s starting XI - not helped by a wrist injury that required surgery - but Boyle is now in good form, having scored four goals in his past two matches and wearing the captain’s armband in Joe Newell’s absence.

Martin Boyle has scored four goals in his past two matches.Martin Boyle has scored four goals in his past two matches.
Martin Boyle has scored four goals in his past two matches. | SNS Group

Gray and Boyle were previously teammates and the pair have grown close since Boyle’s arrival in 2015. However, the Easter Road boss was unable to give any clarity on the his contractual situation, with the Aberdeen-born speedster one of a number of Hibs players coming to the end of their deals.

“I think it probably helps that I've got that little personal relationship with him,” Gray said on Boyle, “but then when you are talking about something like his future, it's very important that it's not personal at all for me. I can't use the fact that he used to be my teammate or whatever. Not at all.

“He's a player that we're benefiting from being back to what's deemed his best at the moment, which is great. He's playing with a smile on his face. He's happy. He's had to go through a bit of adversity this season. For the first time in his career, since he really kicked on, when he first joined the club, he had to be patient to get his game regularly.

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“But then he really became a key figure for his club. He's played in a lot of big games and a lot of key moments for the club, big moments for the club. I think we're starting to see that again. He's had to go through a tough time, but he's playing with a smile just now and the long way that's continuing.

“There's conversations going on all the time. At this moment in time, he's really happy in playing the way he is. If that continues to the summer, then we'll all benefit from that.”

Gray admits that if Boyle keeps up his current form, he may attract interest given his contract situation - although the head coach would not welcome any overtures for one of his star players.

Gray continued: “As always, whether players are in contract, out of contract, when you play for a club like this and we're playing well at the moment, there's some players that maybe aren't playing that we'd like to be playing that maybe clubs on the outside will look at and say: ‘Well, he might be available. Could he be available?’

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Hibs head coach David Gray knows Martin Boyle well.Hibs head coach David Gray knows Martin Boyle well.
Hibs head coach David Gray knows Martin Boyle well. | SNS Group

“But even your key players that are playing and playing well will attract interest from other clubs. So you need to always be on the front foot and be ready to react.

“I don't want to lose anyone. If somebody says, you're going to lose Martyn Boyle, I wouldn't want that to happen. But it's also a business and everything that comes with that. So we need to be proactive and ready for anything that could come up.

"But at this moment in time, he's happy, he's playing and long may that continue.”

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