SUMMARY
- Steven Gerrard is having problems at Al-Ettifaq following a strong start in Saudi Arabia.
- Dammam team has lost all eight of its games and pressure is mounting as they prepare for a six-week vacation due to the Asian Cup.
Steven Gerrard is having problems at Al-Ettifaq following a strong start in Saudi Arabia. With five victories from the first seven Saudi Pro League games, the former Liverpool captain got off to a quick start in the east of the nation. However, the Dammam team has lost all eight of its games and pressure is mounting as they prepare for a six-week vacation due to the Asian Cup.
There are already rumors that Steven Gerrard could lose his position at Al-Ettifaq, a Saudi Pro League team. During the first transfer window in charge, 43-year-old Gerrard brought several prominent stars to Saudi Arabia after being appointed by Al-Ettifaq in July 2023. Among the players who joined Gerrard’s team were Demarai Gray, Moussa Dembele, Jordan Henderson, and Georginio Wijnaldum.
🚨 Steven Gerrard is under pressure to turn around results at Al-Ettifaq after two months without a win. 🇸🇦❌
(Source: @TeleFootball) pic.twitter.com/k3Ls0kDDW1
— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) January 5, 2024
He spent a total of $39.5 million on transfers this 2023-24 season but yet has failed to make an impact in the Saudi Pro League. They have been performing drastically amongst the other top teams in the SPL and are at a very low point in this 2023-24 season
In his 19 games as manager in the Saudi Pro League, Gerrard has only led his squad to six victories; their most recent victory occurred over two months ago. Merely eight points above the relegation zone, they occupy the eighth position in the table.
Steven Gerrard shares his views on the Saudi Pro League and Cristiano Ronaldo
Gerrard took a chance when he agreed to take over as manager of the Saudi Arabian team Al-Ettifaq in July 2023. The Public Investment Fund does not support all four of the teams, hence the club’s financial stability is not as high as that of Al-Nassr, Al-Ittihad, Al-Hilal, and Al-Ahli.
At the time, Gerrard was seeking managerial vacancies at Leeds United and Leicester City. However, as soon as those chances decreased, Gerrard joined Al-Ettifaq without hesitation. Gerrard shared his views on the Saudi Pro League and how Cristiano Ronaldo has been an influence in the country.
🚨Steven Gerrard: “Cristiano Ronaldo is a goal machine. I have great admiration for him. He’s an older player but still performs better than all the others on the pitch. He has individually achieved everything possible and is still going strong, still hungry for goals. I think… pic.twitter.com/ThpHQEJ1Fo
— CristianoXtra (@CristianoXtra_) December 22, 2023
He said, “The arrival of ‘The GOAT’ as we call him, Cristiano, him arriving in January obviously (was) a huge signing,” He still had a lot of football to offer.” Gerrard made a significant message with this, particularly in light of their former rivalry. He also disclosed that the Saudi Pro League is gaining a lot of appeal to players worldwide.
The renowned Portuguese was the first international soccer star to land in Saudi Arabia in late 2022. Since then, several prominent athletes—Karim Benzema, Riyad Mahrez, N’Golo Kante, Neymar Jr., and Sadio Mane—have followed suit. Ronaldo’s greater exposure in the SPL, according to Gerrard, was a driving force behind his decision to join the league.