Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Visit Shots! now
The star has already provided a verdict on his future but there’s a way for some added thinking to come into the Hibs future picture.
Hibs head coach David Gray has made clear how beneficial guaranteed European league phase football could be - including giving one star some thinking to do.
The club currently sit third which with a Celtic win in the Scottish Cup, will bank a place in either league phase in the Europa League or Conference League. They face St Johnstone before games against Rangers and Dundee pre-split.
Dwight Gayle counts the likes of Newcastle United and Stoke City amongst ex clubs and has already admitted he could hang up his boots in the summer. Gray says that alongside attracting new talent to Hibs, players like the ex Newcastle United man perhaps unsure on their future could be persuaded to stay at Hibs with Europe to attack.
Read More
How will Hibs line up for St Johnstone clash? Predicted XI as internationals return for Easter Road contest
Hibs injury latest as international air miles contribute to potential absentee list for St Johnstone clash
European football key for Hibs
The boss said: “It's great for the football club. It's great for the players. I think when you come to the club, I've been lucky enough to play for the club. I've been at the club for a long time. They're fantastic things to be involved in. It's brilliant for the fans to get behind, the away trips. I actually spoke to a fan the other night. He was talking about going to Villa Park. It was like their cup final, and I'm sitting there going, well, we're five nil down going into the game!
“But again, I then think back, obviously I had all the things that went with that on that night, but the full-time whistle after the game, you're standing over listening to them sing and all the Villa fans staying behind to hear them sing it as well. That was the thing with that night.
"There are special moments, there are special nights that don't come around all the time, and that is the reward for finishing potentially third in the league, or wherever you need to finish in the league, European football, with how well the Scottish clubs have done recently, and it is a genuine opportunity to go and play in Europe, which doesn't come around all the time. Dwight Gayle has been at the very top level as a football player, and the opportunity to maybe potentially play in Europe for him might be something that sways him and lets him keep playing.
“He's just one example of that. Other players may be looking to come and join your club. We always talk about it when you're trying to attract players, bring players in that potentially go and play in Europe. It's a brilliant thing to have the opportunity to do.
“There's always the communication beside that, but I think the other side to it as well is, if you don't finish in the European places, you've got the League Cup coming around so quickly, so planning is all involved for that as well. The competitive games start really early regardless, so it's about being ready for it.
“But also when you're putting the squad together, the squad needs to be competitive to make sure we look after what we're doing, which is to keep taking the club forward, to be competitive every single season and trying to finish what we're talking about, that top six, we're trying to win a trophy and then trying to finish in Europe. That's always the objectives of the team. They start every season and that'll be no different this year."
Rocky Bushiri future
One player who also is unsure of where he is going to be after the summer is Rocky Bushiri. The defender, out of contract at the end of this season, started for DR Congo over the international break and Gray said: "I think there is communication going on, as there is with all the players that are out of contract. And right now, there's no distractions for what we're trying to do. He's fully focused on what he wants to try and do. And now that he's back, he's trying to make sure he stays in the team and plays at a certain level. Because I've said it all the time, you're constantly being judged when you pull on the jersey.
“Whether that's to earn a contract here or elsewhere, it's in your best interest to do the best you can. And if a team's successful and individually we're successful, then everybody benefits. He's a very good age as well. He's playing at a high level. Very athletic, got a lot of really good attributes as well for a defender who can play.
"I think he's got a really high ceiling as well, where he can get to. And he's a really good boy as well, that's the big thing I would say about him. A brilliant character every single day in the building. He's in a real good place right now and we want to try and make sure we keep the best of him.”
St Johnstone clash
Attentions now turn to the meeting with Simo Valakari’s men at Easter Road. Gray added: "It's been good for certain reasons because then you get a bit of a gruelling schedule just up until the break. But at the same time, you want to keep playing. So there's kind of a bit of a mixed feeling towards it, especially for myself.
"But some of the players then get the opportunity to go away and represent their country, which is a fantastic honour for them. And then the whole time they're away, we're all sitting making sure that you want to come back as healthy as possible. Thankfully, everybody's pretty much done that, which is good.
"And listen, there's massive games coming up. There's been a bit of a break for some boys. There's also been opportunity for some boys to get minutes with a little bounce game within that period. But it's all geared up now to a huge game."
Related topics:David GrayDwight GayleNewcastle UnitedPremiership
Comment Guidelines
National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.