Official: Steven Gerrard named Al-Ettifaq Manager

Update: Shortly after publication of the initial story concerning speculation that Gerrard was once again in the running to be named manager of Al-Ettifaq, the Saudi club officially announced him as their new manager. The original story follows.

Following the blockbuster €70M signing of attacking midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig, we’re into a brief lull in the land of Liverpool transfer rumours and speculation, a short pause while everyone takes a breath waiting to find out what might come next.

With things gone relatively quiet—temporarily, one imagines—on that front, then, it’s generous of ex-Red Steven Gerrard to step up and give us something east to talk about as Liverpool’s former skipper and recent managerial dilettante revives his will he or won’t he flirtations with Saudi club Al-Ettifaq.

After first being 100% on and then being 100% off, we’re now back to on again with widespread reports claiming Gerrard is once again set to take on the sportswashing gig, trading a big bag of cash for any serious aspirations of managing a top club in Europe.

His previous about-face and with it rumours he could take on the Sheffield Wednesday job briefly signalled Gerrard might actually be taking this whole managerial lark seriously rather than following down Robbie Fowler’s path of taking the occasional break from punditry by managing random z-tier clubs.

Now, though, it seems we’re right back where we started, with Gerrard apparently a lock to take over Al-Ettifaq, where even if he were to exceed expectations it’s hard to imagine any Premier League club being particularly impressed by it were he to come looking for a job.