Gerrard leaves Saudi club Al-Ettifaq after 18 months in charge

DAMMAM, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Former Liverpool and England midfielder Steven Gerrard has left his role as manager of Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia after 18 months in charge, the club said on Thursday.

Al-Ettifaq said in a statement on X that it was a mutual decision. In January, Gerrard signed an extension to his contract to stay at the team until 2027.

Gerrard leaves with Al-Ettifaq in 12th place in the 18-team Saudi Pro League. In his first season in charge, the team finished in sixth place.

“Sometimes things don’t go as planned,” Al-Ettifaq said, “but the firm foundations he helped build will guarantee a bright future in the long term. He changed the club for the better and that will never be forgotten.”

Gerrard previously coached at Rangers in Scotland and Aston Villa in England. He retired from playing in 2016, having been at Liverpool for 17 years, followed by 1 1/2 seasons with LA Galaxy in Major League Soccer.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community?

The Associated Press

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.