ALESE PLAN EXPLAINED

Sunderland under-21 head coach Graeme Murty praised Aji Alese after the defender made his first appearance in over a year, playing the first half in the U21s' 1-1 draw with Newcastle United.

GOOD FOR THE SQUAD

“Aji will be guided by the first team. He’s been great getting around the group. He’s just such a good person all round. He’s good for the young players. He talks to them really well, he talks to them correctly, holds them to a standard, and we’re pleased that he’s managed to get some minutes in now. So hopefully he can kick on from here, and we’ll support whatever his plan is moving forward.”

SETTLE THE NERVES

“Nice to see him back as well. It’s been over a year. He must have approached it with some nerves, let’s be honest, but he must have approached it with a bit of excitement. It’s great to see him out there. It’s great to see him on the pitch, and we wish only the best for him moving forward. That he kicks on from here and uses this as a springboard to move on, to move forward.”

SENIOR PLAYERS DROPPING IN

"It’s great, and we’re really clear with our alignment, and people understand what the players are, what they look like, who they are. And as much as it gives them excitement, there’s also a bit of trepidation there. There’s also a little bit of pressure there, so I think it’s great. The more games they come to, the more pressure they apply to the players, the more they can learn and the more that they will be tested, which is what this is all about. So, the more tests, the more eyes on, the more stress they have to deal with, the better we have to be in our support and our guidance towards them. So, I’m all for many, many more people coming on to the team.”

LO9 INFLUENCE

"We have that relationship, and our training centre is right next to the first team. So, they know everyone, they can come and talk to them. And Luke O’Nien actually was in our office the other day talking to Harrison Jones about certain parts of the game, certain elements that need to be improved, certain areas need to get better. That line is really strong, and it’s something we take care to nurture. I think it makes us different, potentially from other clubs, and I think it’s something we do well and we need to protect.”