Schumacher faces his former club Bradford in League Two on Saturday

Crewe Alex midfielder Steven Schumacher hopes a change in style under Dario Gradi will improve him as a player.

The 68-year-old has taken temporary control of first-team affairs following the dismissal of Gudjon Thordarson.

"Dario likes his midfield players to do a little bit more on the ball," Schumacher told BBC Radio Stoke.

"I like to get the ball down and pass it and I like to get forward. I'll just go along with the way he wants to play and hopefully I'll stay in the team."

Gradi's return could not halt Crewe from falling to their fifth straight defeat in League Two, a 3-2 loss at home to Rotherham.

Thordarson was sacked on Friday after a run of just four wins in 22 matches.

"Gudjon realised he was under pressure and I'm not sure that many people were surprised by it," added Schumacher, who scored the opening goal against the Millers on Saturday.

"The board and the fans weren't overly enamoured by the way he was playing, and the way football is at the moment, if you lose four or five games in a row, you're under pressure.

"I wish him all the best in the future, and it's time for us to move on now."

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