Steven Gerrard makes DESPERATE plea to keep £15m Saudi Arabia job | OneFootball

Liverpool have established a strong connection with Saudi Arabia since the attention of the world focussed on the Saudi Pro League.

Ex-Liverpool players such as Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Gini Wijnaldum, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane have found their way to the SPL, availing of the fortunes on offer.

Those players have endured mixed spells, however, with Henderson already back in Europe with Ajax following an ill-fated stint under Steven Gerrard at Al-Ettifaq.

The legendary Liverpool midfielder is another Anfield icon tempted by the riches of Saudi Arabia, signing a deal to take over at Al-Ettifaq in 2023.

© IMAGO

Gerrard's Al-Ettifaq slump

He brought Henderson and Wijnaldum with him and initially made a decent start to life as manager. That said, supporters were bemused by a MAMMOTH, two-year contract extension which came his way, extending his reign to 2027, considering the side had been enduring a slump in results last season.

And the 2024/25 season couldn’t be going any WORSE for Gerrard or Al-Ettifaq with calls for the manager’s dismissal now growing by the day.

Results-wise, Al-Ettifaq are struggling badly.

Gerrard feeling the heat

Having won all three of their opening league games, things have unravelled since then. Gerrard’s men are currently on a SEVEN-game winless run in the league and are languishing in 12th place after 10 matches.

It’s a far cry from what club bosses expected following Gerrard’s appointment with the former captain estimated to be raking in some £15m per year for his work.

The level of underperformance has placed Gerrard under immense scrutiny, as has his admission that he was scheduling training sessions around Liverpool matches so he and his goalkeeping coach John Achterberg - formerly of the Reds - could keep up with goings-on on Merseyside.

Gerrard desperate to save his job

Gerrard and his side were BOOED OFF following a league to defeat to local rivals Al-Qadsiah last week and he has also been criticised for his decision to live over the border in Bahrain rather than in Saudi Arabia.

He wasn’t happy with the reaction to his comments, refusing to conduct his media duties midweek during the Gulf Champions League.

But Gerrard’s descent continued on Friday as Al-Ettifaq succumbed to a heavy 3-1 defeat to league leaders Al-Hilal.

Goals from Aleksandar Mitrovic and Malcom condemned Al-Ettifaq to a two-goal deficit before Vitinho pulled one back in injury time. However, Mohammed Al Qahtani hit Gerrard with another late hammer blow.

Gerrard struck a defiant tone in the post-game press conference, insisting that he did NOT deserve to be sacked although he also acknowledged his side were on a poor run of form.

"I know the team’s recent results haven’t been good, but I don’t believe I’ve reached the point of being dismissed,” he said according to the Saudi Gazette.