'I'm there to add value' - Ex Rangers coach steps into Sunderland role after calamitous Michael Beale reign

Former Rangers interim manager Graeme Murty admits he is looking to improve links between Sunderland's first-team squad and their Under-21s side after stepping into a supporting role.

The former Scotland international has been helping the Black Cats coaching staff since Mike Dodds was placed in caretaker charge of the senior squad last month following Michael Beale's calamitous nine-week reign.

Murty, who has still been overseeing his role as under-21s head coach, admits he has enjoyed working at first-team level again while the Sunderland board continue their search to appoint a permanent successor for ex-Ibrox gaffer Beale, who oversaw just 12 games in what was the shortest managerial stint in the club's history.

Murty told the Sunderland Echo: "It’s really enjoyable because I get to see the 21s, I get to see the first team, I see what the link is, the commonalities. I see a lot of similarities in things where we need to get better. We need to get smoother as a group to move up the line.

"The first-team staff have been incredibly welcoming, making sure I know everything that’s going on, that I’m fully read into the plans. It’s been really enjoyable working with the first-team players. The first-team players are really good to work with, really positive, they work hard every day. For me to see them working like that and to hopefully help them a little bit, it’s been really positive for me. "I can take some of the actions that I’m learning there and apply it further down with the younger ones. What has been really positive is the young ones have been getting on the first-team path fairly regularly. You see there’s some of them on the bench as well. I’ve said to the players, having it being recognised and doing it for a certain period isn’t enough. We need to be really consistent in our standards and make sure we are pushing to get better every single day."

Offering more insight into his specific first-team role, Murty added: "My role is to support. All I'm trying to do is make sure I add value where I'm asked. My role is really, really clear. It’s not for me to come in and advocate wholesale change. My job is to go and support the guys that are in there. The guys that are in there have their ideas about how we are going to play and what we’re going to do moving forward and I’m just there to add value."