Gerrard to Saudi Arabia

[localny]

If true, I'll lose a lot of respect for the man, personally. I thought he wanted to be a manager for the future.

Gerrard in talks to coach Saudi side Al Ettifaq - sources

Steven Gerrard is in talks to become the new manager of Saudi Pro League side Al Ettifaq, sources have told ESPN. Gerrard has travelled to Saudi Arabia for face-to-face negotiations, which are set to continue on

The former Rangers and Aston Villa manager is weighing up a two-year contract worth around £9 million per year. Sources have told ESPN the agreement would also give Gerrard responsibility for choosing foreign transfer targets.

Al Ettifaq finished the season seventh in the Saudi Pro League. Gerrard, who made more than 700 appearances as a Liverpool player between 1998 and 2015, has been out of work since being sacked by Villa in October.

Saudi Pro League teams are engaging in an aggressive recruitment strategy this summer, six months on from Cristiano Ronaldo's decision to join Al Nassr following his release from Manchester United.

As well as Gerrard, Saudi clubs are also targeting Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui and Fulham manager Marco Silva. Sources have told ESPN that there are even plans to lure Jose Mourinho from AS Roma.

Premier League players including Riyad Mahrez, Ilkay Gundogan, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Wilfried Zaha, Hakim Ziyech and Jesse Lingard are also on the radar.
Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) announced it has taken ownership of the country's four biggest football clubs.

PIF, which owns a majority stake in Newcastle United, will take control of Al Ittihad, Al Ahli, Al Nassr and Al Hilal. Ballon d'Or holder Karim Benzema has joined Saudi champions Al Ittihad on a three-year deal after leaving Real Madrid at the end of last season.

 

[tomasjj]

Nah, lad. Don't go there.

 

[moron]

Nah, lad. Don't go there.

He will love it there. Good for him.

 

[binomial]

Couldn't give a shit either way, he's his own man. Let him make his own choices I'm not gonna judge him if this is what he wants to do, he's earned the accreditation and legendary status at this club, with the fans. That'll never change.

With that said, I get he won't have the blessing of a lot of fans to go there.

 

[localny]

Yeah, lost a lot of respect. Hopefully his daughters won't be too impacted.

 

[binomial]

Yeah, lost a lot of respect. Hopefully his daughters won't be subject to what many Saudi women have to experience.

You think his whole family will be moving there? No chance.

Alex and the kids would be staying put, you can't take them out of education....they're in the middle of some important exams.

 

[localny]

Clubs in Saudi Arabia have been found guilty of not paying their players properly, a damning report has detailed.


The Saudi Pro League have hit headlines for making huge statement signings, the latest of which saw Karim Benzema sign for champions Al Ittihad in a £172-million-a-year switch.

The Ballon d'Or winner has joined former Real Madrid teammate Cristiano Ronaldo, who signed for Al Nassr and put football in Saudi on the map in December

Huge names like Kalidou Koulibaly, N'Golo Kante and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have also been heavily linked.

However, FIFPRO, the international union which looks after 65,000 players across the globe, warned players against signing for teams in Saudi.


They said that “non-payment of salaries” have become “a recurring problem” in Saudi and The Athletichave provided details on the worrying predicament.

There have been over 50 labour disputes involving clubs from Saudi and a recent case involved Lewis Grabban, formerly of Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth

He had a very brief spell with Al Ahli, with his contract ripped up after just three months. Feeling as though he did not receive a signing on fee or two months worth of wages he was owed, Grabban was demanding £2.2 million in compensation following his release.

In the end a tribunal, the fourth involving Al Ahli in 18 months, ruled that must pay $500,000 in wages as well as a further $700,000 for breach of contract.

In addition, the club were banned from registrering new players for "two entire and consecutive registration periods".

 

[Woland]

"I thought it was gonna be like Dubai" screams Alex as they tear into Gerrard's skull with a bone saw, while MBS scrolls through tiktoks of the kids snorting gak through rolled and torn up pages of the quran

 

[King Binny]

 

[localny]

"A lot has been said in the media, a lot of it is not true," Gerrard told Channel 4. He was appearing on the broadcaster's coverage of England's Euro 2024 qualifier against North Macedonia, and was asked about Ettifaq's approach prior to kick-off at Old Trafford.

"I was invited over there to look at a potential offer, which I did, and I have been analyzing that over the last couple of days," he continued. "But, as we stand right now, I won’t be taking that offer up."

Translation? Not enough $$$ to justify the move?

 

[Markeh]

"A lot has been said in the media, a lot of it is not true," Gerrard told Channel 4. He was appearing on the broadcaster's coverage of England's Euro 2024 qualifier against North Macedonia, and was asked about Ettifaq's approach prior to kick-off at Old Trafford.

"I was invited over there to look at a potential offer, which I did, and I have been analyzing that over the last couple of days," he continued. "But, as we stand right now, I won’t be taking that offer up."

Translation? Not enough $$$ to justify the move?

they wouldn’t play Phil Collins

 

[King Binny]

 

[localny]

Lost a lot of respect for Stevie there. He’s just another money grubber at this point.

 

[keniget]

Lost a lot of respect for Stevie there. He’s just another money grubber at this point.

Why would he be anything but?

 

[localny]

Surely would want to be seen as a good manager by taking on a proper challenge? And I’m not a fan of people who enable sports washing.

 

[binomial]

Lost a lot of respect for Stevie there. He’s just another money grubber at this point.

Why?

Do people really have to be so judgemental, just let them do their thing. If this is what he wants then we should be happy for him.....doesn't mean we need to get on board with the culture in which he works in.

Football and Politics are 2 entirely separate affairs.

 

[Red Astaire]

Why would he be anything but?

A very good point.

 

[localny]

They should be amigo. But he’s helping politics and sports be entirely intertwined be lending his name to a sportswashing affair.

I thought Liverpool fans were a bit more aware than the Ethiad-ers up the road?

I mean it’s not like he needs the money. You or me making that decision is one thing. He’s already secured his family’s financial future

Bit of a stain on his name now for me at least

 

[dogboy]

Football and Politics are 2 entirely separate affairs.

Seriously off target there my man.

 

[Red Astaire]

Stevie-Me?

*Runs for cover*

 

[King Binny]

 

[Red Astaire]

I think I just 'technicolour yawned' onto my Mac.....

 

[Farkmaster]

Well, even if we want to separate the two things, there is something to be critical of here.

Gerrard here is cashing in on his name. As a player. Not as a promising young manager, proving to be as driven as he was as a player, looking always to maximize the competition, and bet on himself to win, but instead saying, hey, this managerial business is ruthless and random, I'm going to take the money now that I've checked the alternatives.

The counterpoint is that he's young, the footballing world has no memory, and the sorts of middling opportunities hes getting now will probably still be there. In addition, to paraphrase mel brooks, he's not doing it for the money, he's doing it for a shitload of money.

 

[Red Astaire]

 

[King Binny]

 

[Farkmaster]

If we're going to destroy everything about football, at least keep making it funny like this.

 

[binomial]

Why would they want to release a clip of him following their twitter account?

Fucking bizarre.

 

[King Binny]

Very easy money given they are a midtable side and there are much bigger teams in the likes of Al Ittihad, Al Nassr and Al Hilal. As long as they don't flirt with relegation, he's got a stable job.

 

[Farkmaster]

He's a manager that proves you don't have to have a personality to be a personality, but he is a personality.

 

[Silver Sean]

Why?

Do people really have to be so judgemental, just let them do their thing. If this is what he wants then we should be happy for him.....doesn't mean we need to get on board with the culture in which he works in.

Football and Politics are 2 entirely separate affairs.

You don't understand our club at all.