Former Aston Villa boss Steven Gerrard makes six-word vow after Al-Ettifaq sacking
Steven Gerrard has been feeling the heat as Al-Ettifaq boss, with his assistant manager Dean Holden recently losing his job and the former Liverpool midfielder demanding improvement
Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has called on his Al-Ettifaq team to step up their game after his right-hand man Dean Holden was given the boot, adding more strain on the former Reds skipper. Gerrard, 44, took charge of the Saudi Pro League outfit in the summer of 2023, but nearly 18 months on, they're still finding it tough to make headway.
Despite a hefty £30m transfer kitty to sign players like Demarai Gray, Gini Wijnaldum and Jordan Henderson, who has since departed, success has been hard to come by. While they managed to hammer Qatar's Al Arabi 5-0 on Wednesday, keeping a flawless record in the GCC Champions League, their domestic form leaves much to be desired.
They've already been booted out of the King Cup and are currently stuck in 13th place in an 18-team league, just three points above the relegation zone with a mere three victories to their name. Gerrard is well aware that he needs to turn things around, especially as they are 13 points off the AFC Champions League Elite qualification spots in the Saudi Pro League standings.
Gerrard joined Villa from SPL giants Rangers three years ago when he replaced the sacked Dean Smith, but the Liverpool legend was out of work after spending just a year at Villa Park. During that time, Beale - who had initially joined Gerrard in Birmingham - left to take up the reins at Queens Park Rangers and then made a return to Ibrox as manager in his own right.
The supporters seem to agree, having jeered the manager and his squad off the field on several occasions this season.
The ex-Rangers and Aston Villa boss has made it clear that league performance is a priority, stating: "we must improve in the league" after a period of less satisfactory results. Reflecting on the recent win, Steven Gerrard said: "I am pleased with the result and keeping a clean sheet. It could have been a bigger result, but the most important thing is that we achieved a good performance," and added, "We saw quality in front of goal and witnessed an enjoyable team. Our team is exceptional in this tournament. Today, the match gave us the opportunity to give more young players a chance. We must improve in the league.", reports the Mirror.
He also emphasised the importance of maintaining momentum: "We aim to win the next match to enter the break with high morale. It's important to build on today's performance and not feel like we've achieved perfection. We need to carry this performance into the next match."
In the midst of these challenges, the club has experienced some off-field shake-ups. Executive sporting director Mark Allen and Gerrard's assistant Holden were both dismissed from their positions at the Saudi club in an unexpected turn of events, before former Liverpool youth coach Michael Beale was appointed as Gerrard's new assistant.
Gerrard opened up about the changes last week, clarifying his position: "The club made decisions regarding the departure of Mark Allen and Dean Holden," he disclosed.
"The decision was also made to bring Michael Beale in who is a super coach, we spent years together previously and it's great to have him back with me. Now we need some time to develop and improve."