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When Steven Gerrard was sacked by Aston Villa past Oct after fewer than a 12 months in the function, you would have obtained superior odds on his up coming part staying with Saudi Pro League aspect Al-Ettifaq.
But, as the 43-yr-outdated will get ready for the subsequent phase of his coaching career, he has swapped the Midlands for the Center East as he turns into the most up-to-date big title to move to Saudi Arabia to sign up for a crew handful of English supporters had listened to of until the interest arose.
Owning initially distanced himself from having the occupation previous thirty day period, the 43-year-outdated has now acknowledged a rewarding present from the Dammam-centered club. Al-Ettifaq reps have been in London on Monday finalising Gerrard’s appointment ahead of the affirmation.
Gerrard agreed to the function subsequent a renewed round of talks with the Saudi side, who are committing tens of millions to participant recruitment to assistance their new manager make a staff of worldwide superstars.
But what do we know about the staff who will come to be just the fifth club in the Liverpool legend’s playing and coaching vocation? Mail Activity supplies the lowdown.
Steven Gerrard was appointed as manager of Saudi Professional League outfit Al-Ettifaq on Monday
It is his initial coaching function considering the fact that currently being sacked by Aston Villa last October just after a lot less than a year
Who are Al-Ettifaq?
Nicknamed The Commandos, Al-Ettifaq were proven in 1945 soon after the merging of the three golf equipment in the city of Dammam – Al-Taawoun, Al-Sha’ab and Al-Shabab.
Officials decided on the name Al-Ettifaq – which suggests ‘agreement’ in Arabic – and they settled on eco-friendly and white colours, which have subsequently developed into green and red.
They are primarily based in Dammam, a metropolis in the east of Saudi Arabia which is about a single hour absent from Riyadh and two several hours from Jeddah by airplane.
Al-Ettifaq enjoy at the Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium, named after a previous long-serving governor of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.
It has a capacity of 25,000, but in the 2022-23 time they averaged an attendance of just 5,200 across their 15 residence league game titles.
Al-Ettifaq (pictured in action versus Al-Nassr’s Cristiano Ronaldo) are centered in the town of Dammam – which is is in the east of Saudi Arabia – and have been shaped again in 1945
Who are their key gamers?
A rapid look down Al-Ettifaq’s 26-guy squad and it is hard to see quite a few acquainted names. Their staff is mostly produced up of Saudi gamers, whilst they experienced no customers of Herve Renard’s Planet Cup squad very last year.
Among their crew, there are 9 non-native players, but the most nicely-identified of these are almost certainly Swedish forward Robin Quaison – who has 13 ambitions in 47 global caps – and Germany global Amin Younes, while he has not performed for Hansi Flick’s international side due to the fact 2021.
Younes counts Ajax, Napoli and Eintracht Frankfurt between his previous clubs, whilst captain Mohammed Al-Kuwaykibi has racked up a lot more than 160 appearances for The Commandos in excess of the previous seven yrs.
Their history signing is Tunisian worldwide Naim Sliti, who arrived for £4.2m from French side Dijon in 2019.
Al-Ettifaq’s squad isn’t going to comprise numerous familiar names and is mainly designed up of Saudi gamers
What is their record?
Gerrard’s new aspect perform in the Saudi Professional League and very last season completed seventh in the 16-staff division, 35 points guiding champions Al-Ittihad – who have given that strengthened by signing equally N’Golo Kante and Karim Benzema.
They have been league champions on two events, but not for a prolonged time, profitable the title in 1982-83 and 1986-87.
The to start with of all those triumphs accomplished what was an unbeaten season, as they turned the very first Saudi aspect to reach these a feat.
They also won the King’s Cup – the equivalent of the FA Cup – in 1968 and 1985.
In the same way, they lifted the now defunct GCC Champions League (the Gulf Cup for Clubs) on three events in 1983, 1988 and 2006 and subsequently triumphed in the Arab Club Champions Cup in 1984 and 1988.
Nevertheless, it is crystal clear this golden time period in the 1980s has not quite been replicated in the following decades and they returned to the Saudi leading flight just after profitable the 1st division in 2015-16.
Brazilian keeper Paulo Victor is one particular of just nine non-Saudi gamers in Al-Ettifaq’s latest squad
Who owns the club?
The Al-Dabal name is the strongest connected with the club, with the family members obtaining near ties to Al-Ettifaq across the previous 50 decades.
Abdullah Al-Dabal – a well known former Saudi soccer official who held numerous roles in just the kingdom’s federation – was their president throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s.
In the same way, Al-Dabal was element of the Asian Soccer Confederation and was broadly credited for aiding to expand the match on the continent, even though he was also a FIFA Government Member.
His son, Khalid, is the latest president and has assisted to rebuild the club around modern yrs subsequent their relegation from the major flight in 2014.
Khalid is also a significant Gerrard lover, with the Al-Ettifaq chief calling him a ‘living giant’ in 2013, whilst he also explained on Twitter at the time: ‘Gerrard may perhaps not have touched the (Premier League) title, but he touched several hearts.’
Al-Ettifaq’s official owner is Nawaf A Alosaimi, though there is restricted facts on the web about this particular person.
Gerrard with club president Khalid Al-Dabal whose dad, Abdullah, earlier ran the club
What is Gerrard most likely to encounter in Saudi Arabia?
To begin with, Gerrard will be effectively remunerated in Saudi, with his salary described to be around £8.1million-a-year – a lot more than £150,000 for each 7 days.
He penned a two-12 months deal with the club, whilst the make-up of his backroom employees continues to be uncertain.
Previous Scotland favorite Gary McAllister was Gerrard’s assistant during his time at both of those Rangers and Aston Villa, but there is so far a absence of clarity on no matter if he will sign up for the 43-12 months-outdated.
Al-Ettifaq at this time have two assistants in location – Tarik Makhnass and Antonio Cazorla. The latter spent time in short term cost very last year after Frenchman Patrice Carteron was dismissed in February.
Gerrard is expected to have important cash to deliver in stars, with Alvaro Morata a major target
He is also predicted to target Jordan Henderson (remaining) and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (correct)
In the meantime, Saudi’s controversial sovereign General public Investment decision Fund (PIF) declared final month they had been taking manage of 4 of the Professional League’s most significant clubs Al-Nassr, Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad, and Al-Ahli.
Al-Ettifaq, nonetheless, believe they can contend with the PIF-run golf equipment to challenge for the title following time and Gerrard is possible to have a significant transfer spending budget to invest.
Inside a working day of his announcement, Philippe Coutinho – who Gerrard performed with at Liverpool and signed for Aston Villa – was connected, although Jordan Henderson, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alvaro Morata have also been linked with a move.
Mail Sport understands initial conversations more than a transfer for Morata have taken area amid hope he can become one particular of Gerrard’s to start with signings, with Atletico Madrid open to a lower-price tag deal for the former Chelsea striker.
Having said that, the Saudi side are very likely to deal with competition from clubs in Italy.
It all guarantees to an intriguing enjoy from afar when the motion receives underway on August 11.
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