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English coach Steven Gerrard, coach of Al-Ettifaq, says that he agreed to extend his contract with the club competing in the Saudi Professional Football League until 2027 to build a long-term sports project.
Gerrard, the former captain of Liverpool and the England national team, took over as coach of Al-Ettifaq in July 2023 on a two-year contract, and his contract would later be extended for an additional two years, with the possibility of renewal in 2027.
The project continues with Gerard until 2027 💚❤️✍️#the agreement | #Gerard_continuous pic.twitter.com/lOVi60FGUx
– Al-Ettifaq Club (@Ettifaq) January 18, 2024
Al-Ittifaq website quoted Gerard as saying, “The renewal decision brought many positive feelings for me and my family, as it was the culmination of the hard work and true dedication that everyone showed from day one.”
He added, “We realized from the beginning the size of the responsibility and the number of challenges that awaited us, which prompted us to invest in creating new infrastructure, such as new training facilities and building a new stadium. We achieved remarkable progress in these projects, as a result of the mutual trust between me and the club management. We also look forward to the future and to returning to the podium.” .
The English coach continued, “When it comes to football, the priority is always short-term goals. However, the new president is focusing on building a long-term sporting project and we have a great consensus on the level of views.”
The former Liverpool legend explained, “We all realize that success cannot be achieved overnight, but our high ambitions will make our journey to the top an inspiring sports story. We seek to build a competitive team with a high football culture, to leave a distinctive mark in the club's history.”
Our coach Gerard talks about extending his contract and his experience with us so far 🎙️#the agreement | #Gerard_continuouspic.twitter.com/6uC6UHGTOv
– Al-Ettifaq Club (@Ettifaq) January 18, 2024
Gerrard's arrival during the summer coincided with Samer Al-Meshal assuming his new position as president of Al-Ettifaq Club, as their visions converged on the club's future.
The new agreement strategy included a set of fundamental improvements, the most important of which was supervising the team’s move to a new stadium, securing modern training facilities, and establishing a specialized center for physical training.
Al-Meshal, President of Al-Ettifaq Club, said: “At the club, we realize the importance of stability, which we seek to consolidate through our desire to continue the journey with Steven Gerrard, out of our belief that the fruits of success cannot be reaped without patience and dedication.
He added, “Gerard's successes, along with his leadership qualities and true commitment to the project, have shown that he is the right man for this stage. We are moving towards the future, drawing our strength from our ancient history and glorious sporting heritage, and I believe that we are on the right path to return Al-Ittifaq to the podiums.”
Pictures from the contract extension of legend Steven Gerrard with the club president and CEO ✍️#Gerard_continuous Until 2027 💚❤️#the agreement pic.twitter.com/IFen7sAIcD
– Al-Ettifaq Club (@Ettifaq) January 18, 2024
