Gerrard leaves Saudi Arabia | Gazzetta.it

“Football is unpredictable and sometimes things do not go as we would like. I liked to work in a new country with a different culture. ” Steven Gerrard is no longer the Al-Ettifaq coach, the Saudi Pro League club on whose bench he had landed in July 2023. The former Liverpool captain and the Dammam company separated from mutual agreement.

the numbers

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For Gerrard, however, who in Arabia won only 23 of the 59 races played, this is the second Flop as a consecutive coach after the unfortunate experience at the helm of the Aston Villa in the 2021/22 season (13 successes out of 40 games). This is despite Samer al Misehal, president of the Saudi company, has decided to use words to honey to greet the English technician: “I am sure that the solid foundations that he has helped to build will guarantee a long -term bright future. He changed the club for the better and this will never be forgotten. The decision, taken with mutual respect and common agreement, is in the best interest of both Steven and the club “. So much so. The team today occupies the twelfth position in the standings (out of 18) and is 5 points from the relegation zone after only 5 wins and 4 draws obtained in the 19 games played so far.

dear

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More than for the results, Gerrard will be remembered above all for the high costs. Related to the staff, given that under its management players of the caliber of Georginio Wijnaldum (ex Liverpool, PSG and Rome), Moussa Dembélé (Celtic and Lyon), Toko Ekampi (Villarreal, Lyon and Rennes), Seko Fofana (Udinese have arrived under his management. and Lens) but above all by Jordan Henderson, purchased on the explicit request of the technician but who fled the Ajax after only six months, despite a maxi contract of 40 million euros per season. And then there are the costs relating to Gerrard himself, who in the year and a half spent in Saudi Arabia has earned around 21 million euros or 356,000 euros per game or 4,000 for each minute played by his. To be clear, more than they earn Carlo Ancelotti or Pep Guardiola.