Former Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard has been a new contract at Al-Ettifaq despite the club’s poor form.
Steven Gerrard has struggled to carry the incredible success he achieved in his playing days at Liverpool across to management.
Despite leading Rangers to the Scottish Premiership title in the 2020/21 campaign and their first-ever unbeaten campaign, his stock took a dramatic tumble when he was appointed as Aston Villa manager in November 2021.
After taking over from Dean Smith, who was sacked when the club were 16th in the Premier League, Gerrard was expected to guide Villa up the table.
In his first season, he did the bare minimum by keeping his side in the top flight, finishing nine points above the drop.
However, it quickly became apparent that he wasn’t the right man to take the Villans forward after losing five of his first ten matches in the 2022/23 campaign.
He was subsequently sacked following a dismal 3-0 defeat against Fulham and indeed, replaced by Unai Emery.
The rest, as they say, is history.
While Villa are now fighting for the Champions League under the Spaniard’s tutelage, Gerrard has struggled since being appointed manager of Saudi Arabian club Al-Ettifaq in July 2023.
That would normally lead to him being dismissed, though the Englishman has surprisingly been rewarded.
Steven Gerrard given new contract at Al-Ettifaq
According to the Athletic, Gerrard has agreed a new two-year contract extension at Al-Ettifaq.
The hierarchy will continue providing the 43-year-old with funds to sign players and develop the club.
Al-Ettifaq are currently eighth in the Saudi Pro League table with Gerrard leading them through a winless run of eight matches.
This run of form is inexcusable for a man who was given the funds to bolster his squad in the summer.
He brought in players who had a deep association with Liverpool having lured Jordan Henderson and Georginio Wijnaldum while also signing former Everton winger Demarai Gray and Lyon striker Moussa Dembele.
Unlike Gerrard – who has committed his future to Al-Ettifaq – Henderson is on the verge of leaving for Ajax after just six months.
The grass is greener for Aston Villa on this occasion
It’s difficult to recall a bigger stroke of genius at Aston Villa than sacking Gerrard and replacing him with Emery, but that is exactly what it has turned out to be.
During the Englishman’s tenure, Villa were a shell of their former selves. Villa Park was a soulless pit, the players were confidence shot and the club were battling relegation.
Fast forward 14 months after Emery’s appointment, and the whole complexion of the football club has been transformed, from the coaching staff to the players and performances on the pitch.
Villa have gone from fighting relegation to mixing it with the title contenders and that is all down to the Spaniard’s arrival.
