Hibs next manager: Club drawing up shortlist as David Gray bats away questions on his own future

The former Easter Road captain wouldn’t be drawn on whether or not a third temporary spell in charge at the club might tempt him to throw his hat in the ring for the role on a permanent basis following Johnson’s dismissal along with right-hand men Jamie McAllister and Adam Owen.

"It's such a difficult time for everyone, it's not about me. My future will be decided in the coming days, weeks, whenever the club makes a decision,” he said, as he previewed the second leg of the club’s Europa Conference League play-off against Aston Villa at Villa Park.

"I've been asked to do a job which is to prepare the team; that's all I'm focused on, and we'll deal with what happens in due course. The situation is what it is but I love working for the club, I care very much about it, and I've been asked to do a job to the best of my ability and that's what I always try to do.”

Gray admitted that assuming stand-in duties didn’t get any easier.

“It’s a different challenge every single time and it’s about self-reflection too. The manager will always carry the responsibility with being the manager, but it’s a time when you have to look at yourself and make sure you’re applying yourself as best you can. I include everybody in that, from top to bottom, and we try to put it right as quickly as we can.

“Unfortunately I’ve been in this position before, it’s not nice for the three people who have lost their jobs so I’m conscious of that, especially when you’re working with them every single day. It’s not about me at all.

“It’s about the football club, making a decision on what they want to do and I’ve been asked to do a job which is to prepare the team the best I can for the next two games. I’ll do that to the best of my ability.”

As expected, there has been a lot of interest in the vacancy and while Hibs are close to finalising a shortlist, club chiefs are yet to approach or speak to any potential candidates.