Stephen Bradley Emerges as Leading Candidate for Hibernian Job

Stephen Bradley has emerged as a leading candidate to become the new Hibernian manager, with the Shamrock Rovers boss firmly in the running to replace David Gray at Easter Road.

Daniel McDonnell of the Irish Independent reports that Bradley’s record of developing, improving and selling young players is one of the main reasons Hibs have taken an interest. After ten years in Tallaght, there is a fair bit for them to judge him on.

Bradley has won five league titles and two FAI Cups with Rovers, including the double in 2025, while Europe stopped being an occasional bonus and became part of the calendar. Rovers reached the UEFA Conference League proper three times under him, with the 2024 run carrying them into the knockout round before Molde eventually ended it on penalties.

The work with young players sits neatly alongside that record. Gavin Bazunu and Liam Scales both developed at Rovers before earning moves abroad, while Victor Ozhianvuna is due to join Arsenal in January 2027. Michael Noonan is probably the best recent example of Bradley’s willingness to trust young players. He put a 16-year-old into a European knockout tie against Molde and got a goal back for his trouble, with Noonan becoming the youngest scorer in Conference League history.

Naj Razi is another one. He came through at Rovers, got his senior chance under Bradley and moved to Como in 2024. There is no great mystery to why that sort of record appeals to Hibs. They want someone who can improve players, give younger ones a pathway and still win football matches. Bradley has spent the best part of a decade doing all three.

He has had chances to leave before. Lincoln City wanted him in 2022, but Bradley stayed in Tallaght. McDonnell reports that the Hibernian job would appeal because of the size of the club and what could be built there, although the timing is hardly ideal.

Rovers are still in a three-way Premier Division title race with five games left, and they will not play again until 9 October because of the international break. Hibs, meanwhile, want David Gray’s replacement in place during the current window.

Bradley is not tied down by a conventional fixed-term contract either. He is employed by Rovers on a salaried basis, meaning he can leave if the required conditions are met.

Hibs have also seen one of his sides up close fairly recently. They came to Tallaght for a friendly on 30 June and lost 1-0 to a much-changed Rovers team containing plenty of younger players. It was hardly a job interview, but it probably did Bradley no harm.

For Rovers, losing him now would be awkward enough. They are trying to win back the league in a title race involving St Patrick’s Athletic and Stephen Kenny, the manager whose Dundalk side Bradley was trying to catch when he first took over in 2016.

Ten years on, Bradley has built the sort of record that means the interest is now coming the other way.