Liverpool Legend Steven Gerrard Leaves Saudi Club Al-Ettifaq

The ex-Liverpool midfielder endured a tricky time at the Asian club and parted company today, avoiding the impending back-to-back sacking.
IMAGO / Power Sport Images
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First reported by Glongari on X, formerly known as Twitter, and later the likes of The Athletic, Ben Jacobs and Jose Felix Diaz, Steven Gerrard was yesterday on the verge of being sacked.

The English manager left his role at Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq, with the club sitting 12th in an 18-team league, after one win in their last four games. The Commandos most recently drew with bottom place Al-Wehda, a late goal clinching a point for Gerrard's team.

Steven Gerrard begun his senior managerial career at Rangers, after spending just around a year-and-a-half as manager of the U17 and U18 teams at Liverpool, Melwood.

Steven Gerrard
Head coach of Al-Ettifaq Steven Gerrard Head coach of Al-Ettifaq Steven Gerrard before the friendly match between NK Varazdin and Al-Ettifaq at City Stadium in Varazdin, Croatia on July 15, 2023. / IMAGO / Pixsell

He enjoyed a successful three years at the Scottish side, winning their first league title in ten years and doing it unbeaten and finishing on 102 points.

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Gerrard then left for Aston Villa mid-way through the 2021/22 season and got off to a decently successful first month, beating Brighton, Crystal Palace, Leicester and Norwich City and narrowly losing at Anfield thanks to a Mohamed Salah penalty.

The Scouser's Aston Villa famously had a chance to win Liverpool the Premier League, as Matty Cash and Philippe Coutinho put the Midlands club 2-0 at the Etihad on the final day of the season and made it Liverpool's title to lose with twenty minutes to go in the 2021/22 season.

Gerrard Pep
Steven Gerrard manager of Aston Villa greeted by Josep Guardiola manager of Manchester City during the Premier League match at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester. / IMAGO / Sportimage

However, before Liverpool could find a second goal at home against Wolves to put them a goal up, Manchester City completed a swift turnaround through an Ilkay Gundogan brace and a Rodri goal from distance and the Manchester club lifted the title.

It was downhill from there for Steven Gerrard, and that's if most fans hadn't already turned on their manager. Steven Gerrard was sacked in the 11th game of the following season after a 3-0 defeat to Fulham at Craven Cottage.

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Gerrard spent just under a year away from management before an opportunity to manage in Saudi Arabia arose, and the Liverpool legend brought two more to his new side, spending 14 million and five million Euros respectively for midfielders Jordan Henderson and Georginio Wijnaldum.

Henderson Ronaldo
SAFF Saudi Arabia KingÕs Cup 2023-24 Round 16 Jordan Henderson of Al Ettifaq FC and Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr FC during their Round 16 of the SAFF Saudi Arabia KingÕs Cup 2023-24 match between Al Nassr FC and Al Ettifaq FC at Al Awwal Park Stadium on October 31, 2023 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. / IMAGO / Power Sport Images

And he saw results, even though Al-Ettifaq couldn't exactly spend like the biggest clubs in Saudi Arabia, and their marquee signing Jordan Henderson left for Ajax in the January that season, they finished 6th with the likes of Wijnaldum, Demarai Gray, Moussa Dembele and Jack Hendry.

However, like Aston Villa, Steven Gerrard's side eventually took a downturn, starting this season with just five wins in 17 games and are sat five points clear of the relegation zone.

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Daniel Hawthorne
DANIEL HAWTHORNE

An aspiring journalist with 5 years of experience, sharing insights and stories for LFC Transfer Room.