Former Sunderland goalkeeper Kelechi Chibueze has described Graeme Murty as the “best coach I’ve ever had” following his departure from the Academy of Light.
Murty left Sunderland this summer following almost four years on Wearside, having joined the club from Rangers in October 2022 and gone on to oversee the professional development phase and under-21 set-up. His final season included a run to the Premier League Cup final at the Stadium of Light, while his time at the club also saw numerous young players progress towards senior football.
Chibueze spent two years at Sunderland after previous spells with Chelsea and Leicester City and played regularly under Murty at Under-21 level. The goalkeeper left the Black Cats in the summer of 2025 and has since retired from professional football at the age of 22. Speaking exclusively to The Echo, Chibueze admitted he was surprised to see Murty leave Sunderland and offered a fascinating insight into why the former Rangers boss was so highly regarded by the young players he worked with.
‘Probably the best coach I’ve ever had’
“Honestly, no, he’s probably the best coach I’ve ever had,” Chibueze told The Echo. “Like in terms of his attention to detail, his care, like he was someone that wasn’t just trying to build you as a footballer, but also as a person as well. I remember I had a period in my last season where I was having good games, but I’d just make one mistake that would cost me in the game,” he explained.
“I remember after the third or fourth one, we kind of had a long conversation. It was after we played Huddersfield away. We got back home at like one or two, and I remember me and him just sat in the changing room for like half an hour just kind of talking. He was kind of giving me reassurance and kind of just some advice. But honestly, he’s a great guy.”
It offered a small glimpse into a side of academy coaching which supporters rarely get to see. Results naturally attracted attention, and Murty enjoyed plenty of them during his time with Sunderland, but the job was also about helping young players deal with mistakes, setbacks and the uncertainty which comes with trying to establish a career in professional football. Chibueze believes Murty’s ability to do that was one of his major strengths.
Chibueze surprised by Sunderland departure
Murty’s departure came as Sunderland reshaped their Academy structure ahead of the 2026-27 campaign. He had overseen another impressive season for the under-21s before leaving, with Sunderland reaching the Premier League Cup final and again competing strongly in Premier League 2. Chibueze admitted the news caught him by surprise given Murty’s relationship with Sunderland and the reputation he had built inside the Academy of Light.
“To be fair, I was kind of shocked that he left because obviously he’s really loved at Sunderland and everybody loved him and I know he loved the club,” he said. “But at the same time, I’d like to think that maybe the next step for him is in the men’s game again because he’s a great coach and I feel like he would, you know, really do well in the men’s game. So, I mean, I’m hoping that’s the kind of next step for him, or that’s something that he’s trying to do.”
