Margate’s No.2 Adam Flanagan explains why new coach Tyrone Sterling’s role can provide additional support to club’s management

Adam Flanagan has explained why he thinks new Margate coach Tyrone Sterling’s role can provide additional support to the club’s management.

Former Grenada international defender Sterling has been added to Isthmian South East side Gate’s backroom staff after hanging up his boots.

While it’s never easy for a player-boss to focus on both playing and a managerial role, Ben Greenhalgh has found some able right-hand men to help him do so.

Flanagan - Greenhalgh’s No.2 - thinks 37-year-old Sterling’s recent playing experience will provide the Gate player-boss with further assistance when it comes to communicating with his current crop.

“Ben can focus on matchdays more on the playing side, which is what he wants to do,” said one-time defender Flanagan, a Dartford legend, who also played at Folkestone.

“He knows he has got the support of myself, Tyrone and [coach] Elliot [Leveson] to do what needs to be done.

“Equally in the week, he gets to do the coaching side of things, which he does very well at. It works well.

“I think Tyrone coming across adds further knowledge and support because, even when there’s two of you, there’s always stuff going on.

"The more experience you can add around you, the better.

"What works well with Tyrone is that he’s only just finished playing.

"When I look at myself, I think I finished playing about 15 years ago so the gap from when I played to the players now is quite vast.

“But with Tyrone only finishing last year, he’s still connected to the players in more of a way to what I am.

“He gives us a good platform to understand what’s missing from the players’ perspective and, obviously, he can help the players in terms of speaking with the management team.

“Players may feel a little bit more comfortable