Steven Gerrard's reign as manager of Saudi Pro League side Al Ettifaq is over after 18 months in charge.
The former Liverpool and England captain has left his role by mutual consent with Ettifaq sitting 12th in the 18-team SPL, five points above the relegation zone.
Gerrard, 44, took charge of 59 matches in all, winning 23, drawing 16 and losing the remaining 20.
Gerrard's final game as manager saw Ettifaq draw 2-2 with second-bottom Al Wehda leaving them on 19 points in a season when they have won five out of their 17 games.
“I want to express my gratitude to the club, the players, the fans, and everyone involved for the opportunity and support during my time here,” Gerrard said in a statement.
“From the first day I was warmly welcomed, and I have enjoyed the chance to work in a new country with a different culture.
“So overall, I have learnt a lot and it's been a positive experience personally and for my family as well. But football is unpredictable, and sometimes things don't go the way we want.
“However, I leave with great respect for the club and the country. I have no doubt that the work being done will bring success in the future, and I wish the team the very best for the rest of the season.”
Club president Samer Al Misehal said: “First and foremost, we extend our sincere gratitude to Steven for his dedication and hard work during his time with the club.
“Sometimes things don’t go as planned, 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.
“This decision is made with mutual respect and in agreement, is in the best interest of both Steven and the club as we move forward.”
Gerrard moved to the kingdom in July 2023 in what his first job after being sacked by English Premier League side Aston Villa nine months earlier, despite initially turning down Ettifaq's offer.
His summer arrival coincided with a remarkable spending spree in the SPL.
Cristiano Ronaldo had already made the move at the start of 2023 while he would soon be joined in the kingdom by superstar names such as Karim Benzema, Sadio Mane and Neymar.
While in his Ettifaq squad, Gerrard could call on experienced players such as Georginio Wijnaldum, Jordan Henderson and Moussa Dembele.
In his first season, Gerrard guided Ettifaq to a respectable sixth-place finish, behind the 'big four' who are backed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund – Al Hilal, Al Nassr, Al Ittihad and Al Ahli.
He did suffer the blow of losing fellow former England and Liverpool midfielder Henderson, who left the kingdom for Dutch side Ajax after just six months and 17 SPL games.
That did not stop Gerrard signing a contract extension that should have seen him remain at the club until at least 2027.
“This is very pleasing for myself and my family and feels like recognition for a lot of hard work and commitment,” he said after agreeing the deal. “We knew at the beginning this was a big job and a challenging job.”
But Gerrard's second season has proven a far bigger challenge and he was forced to address rumours that his time at the club was coming to an end earlier in the season.
“On the back of recent results in my position you are always aware of disappointment from fans. I have to take that responsibility on my shoulders,” the former Glasgow Rangers coach said.
“That is what I will do and continue to fight and work to improve the recent results. I don't react, change or get overly concerned about social media or anyone on the outside of Ettifaq's opinion. My priority is this club.”
Gerrard's exit comes days after Al Hilal announced the termination of Brazilian forward Neymar's contract after a disastrous, injury-ravaged 18-month spell in Saudi Arabia.
The 32-year-old made just seven appearances for the club – three in the Saudi Pro League and four in the AFC Champions League – after joining in a $94 million move from Paris Saint-Germain in August 2023.
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Squad
Ali Kasheif, Salim Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdulrahman, Mohammed Al Attas, Abdullah Ramadan, Zayed Al Ameri (Al Jazira), Mohammed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammed Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Essa, Mohammed Shaker, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah) Walid Abbas, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli), Tariq Ahmed, Jasim Yaqoub (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Muharami (Baniyas)
The Uefa Awards winners
Uefa Men's Player of the Year: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Uefa Women's Player of the Year: Lucy Bronze (Lyon)
Best players of the 2018/19 Uefa Champions League
Goalkeeper: Alisson (Liverpool)
Defender: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Midfielder: Frenkie de Jong (Ajax)
Forward: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Uefa President's Award: Eric Cantona
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The winners
Fiction
- ‘Amreekiya’ by Lena Mahmoud
- ‘As Good As True’ by Cheryl Reid
The Evelyn Shakir Non-Fiction Award
- ‘Syrian and Lebanese Patricios in Sao Paulo’ by Oswaldo Truzzi; translated by Ramon J Stern
- ‘The Sound of Listening’ by Philip Metres
The George Ellenbogen Poetry Award
- ‘Footnotes in the Order of Disappearance’ by Fady Joudah
Children/Young Adult
- ‘I’ve Loved You Since Forever’ by Hoda Kotb
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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Match info
Uefa Champions League Group H
Manchester United v Young Boys, Tuesday, midnight (UAE)
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How to invest in gold
Investors can tap into the gold price by purchasing physical jewellery, coins and even gold bars, but these need to be stored safely and possibly insured.
A cheaper and more straightforward way to benefit from gold price growth is to buy an exchange-traded fund (ETF).
Most advisers suggest sticking to “physical” ETFs. These hold actual gold bullion, bars and coins in a vault on investors’ behalf. Others do not hold gold but use derivatives to track the price instead, adding an extra layer of risk. The two biggest physical gold ETFs are SPDR Gold Trust and iShares Gold Trust.
Another way to invest in gold’s success is to buy gold mining stocks, but Mr Gravier says this brings added risks and can be more volatile. “They have a serious downside potential should the price consolidate.”
Mr Kyprianou says gold and gold miners are two different asset classes. “One is a commodity and the other is a company stock, which means they behave differently.”
Mining companies are a business, susceptible to other market forces, such as worker availability, health and safety, strikes, debt levels, and so on. “These have nothing to do with gold at all. It means that some companies will survive, others won’t.”
By contrast, when gold is mined, it just sits in a vault. “It doesn’t even rust, which means it retains its value,” Mr Kyprianou says.
You may already have exposure to gold miners in your portfolio, say, through an international ETF or actively managed mutual fund.
You could spread this risk with an actively managed fund that invests in a spread of gold miners, with the best known being BlackRock Gold & General. It is up an incredible 55 per cent over the past year, and 240 per cent over five years. As always, past performance is no guide to the future.
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Countries offering golden visas
UK
Innovator Founder Visa is aimed at those who can demonstrate relevant experience in business and sufficient investment funds to set up and scale up a new business in the UK. It offers permanent residence after three years.
Germany
Investing or establishing a business in Germany offers you a residence permit, which eventually leads to citizenship. The investment must meet an economic need and you have to have lived in Germany for five years to become a citizen.
Italy
The scheme is designed for foreign investors committed to making a significant contribution to the economy. Requires a minimum investment of €250,000 which can rise to €2 million.
Switzerland
Residence Programme offers residence to applicants and their families through economic contributions. The applicant must agree to pay an annual lump sum in tax.
Canada
Start-Up Visa Programme allows foreign entrepreneurs the opportunity to create a business in Canada and apply for permanent residence.
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Profile
Profile
Company: Justmop.com
Date started: December 2015
Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan
Sector: Technology and home services
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai
Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month
Funding: The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups.
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Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
The biog
Age: 35
Inspiration: Wife and kids
Favourite book: Changes all the time but my new favourite is Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
Best Travel Destination: Bora Bora , French Polynesia
Favourite run: Jabel Hafeet, I also enjoy running the 30km loop in Al Wathba cycling track
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Specs
Price, base: Dhs850,000
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 591bhp @ 7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm @ 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 11.3L / 100km
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About Housecall
Date started: July 2020
Founders: Omar and Humaid Alzaabi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech
# of staff: 10
Funding to date: Self-funded
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
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The bio
Job: Coder, website designer and chief executive, Trinet solutions
School: Year 8 pupil at Elite English School in Abu Hail, Deira
Role Models: Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk
Dream City: San Francisco
Hometown: Dubai
City of birth: Thiruvilla, Kerala
