Hibs ‘hold talks’ with 50 y/o over Easter Road managerial role as timing of David Gray sacking questioned

The Easter Road outfit are searching for a new name in the dugout having opted to sack David Gray in the aftermath of their 1-0 defeat to Kilmarnock - their sixth consecutive home loss - with assistant John Potter put in interim charge for the weekend 1-1 draw with Aberdeen.

Former Hibs cult hero Marvin Bartley was installed as the early favourite to succeed Gray after his strong start at Stenhousemuir, while experienced Bristol Rovers boss Steve Evans was also a surprise link. However, according to former Rangers, Hearts and Motherwell midfielder Andy Halliday, there’s been contact with Tomasson over the vacant managerial role at the club.

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Speaking on the Open Goal podcast, Halliday was asked if he was surprised they sacked Gray when they did and said: "Aye, I am. The reason I am so surprised is similar to the Martin O'Neill situation at Celtic. If they sack him, Shaun Maloney [assistant manager] is in charge of the next game.

“If you think you're going to sack somebody and you're coming up to a four game international break, give him the Aberdeen game, and then you've got three weeks to recruit the next guy, instead of having [John] Potter in charge, who's been a part of the full David Gray era. Hibs vs Aberdeen was one of the worst games of football I've watched in a long time. The quality was shocking.

“Somebody told me yesterday [Sunday] about [Hibs' interest in] Jon Dahl Tomasson. Hibs want him is what I've heard, and there have been chats. Whether that leads him to getting the job, I don't know. We played his Blackburn Rovers team in pre-season when I was with Hearts in Marbella, and we couldn't get the ball of them. Honestly.”

Tomasson, 50, has been out of work since being sacked by the Swedish national team 11 months ago after a disastrous start to their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, in which Sweden fell to the bottom of their group. He was later replaced by Graham Potter, who helped the side achieve qualification via the playoff route.

Despite his difficulties with Sweden, the Danish boss retains a solid reputation after his work with Blackburn Rovers in the EFL Championship and Swedish side Malmo, who beat Rangers in the Champions League playoffs in August 2021. He was named Allsvenskan manager of the year, having led Di Blae to successive league titles.

Questioning whether the Edinburgh club could match his wage demands, co-host and former Hibs winger Aiden McGeady said: “He's a bigger name. Certain managers will be paid less than the top players, but I think a big name manager gets parity with those players. On a Talent ID course I was on, there was an English boy, but he was a Swedish like analyst, and he buzzed off Jon-Dahl Tomasson, and the way he played football. But then he had a shocker with Sweden, you're right.