Sport

Michael Beale reunites with Steven Gerrard as Al-Ettifaq assistant coach

Former Rangers and Sunderland manager Michael Beale has been appointed as assistant coach to Steven Gerrard at Saudi Pro League club Al-Ettifaq.

Beale, 44, reunites with Gerrard, having previously served as his assistant at both Rangers and Aston Villa. The duo achieved notable success in Scotland, guiding Rangers to their first Scottish Premiership title in a decade during the 2020-21 season.

After following Gerrard to Aston Villa in November 2021, Beale left the club in the summer of 2022 to take on the role of manager at Queen’s Park Rangers.

He led QPR to the top of the Championship in October of that year but declined an offer to manage Wolves, opting instead to return to Rangers as head coach in November 2022.

Beale’s stint at Rangers ended less than 11 months later after a poor start to the 2023-24 season, where the team lost three of their first seven league matches.

He then took over at Sunderland but endured a challenging spell, lasting just 12 games in charge—the shortest managerial tenure in the club’s history—before being dismissed in February 2024.

Now back alongside Gerrard, Beale aims to help Al-Ettifaq recover from a difficult run of form, with the team sitting 10th in the Saudi Pro League after losing five of their last six matches.

Idoko Dennis

Idoko Dennis is a creative videographer/drone pilot and sport writer. He heads the sport desk and deputizes the head of Idoma TV

Recent Posts

Soaring rice prices threaten Christmas celebrations for Nigerian families

Rice, a staple for Christmas celebrations in Nigeria, has become a luxury this year. Soaring…

41 minutes ago

Panic as Stage collapses during Odumodublvck’s performance at Lagos concert

Panic erupted on Saturday at a concert in Lagos when the stage collapsed during Odumodublvck’s…

44 minutes ago

2025 Budget: FG allocates ₦6.36bn for renovation of Tinubu, Shettima’s official quarters

The Federal Government of Nigeria has allocated ₦6,364,181,224 billion for the refurbishment and rehabilitation of…

45 minutes ago

Black Market Dollar to Naira Exchange Rate Today 22nd December 2024

The black market dollar to naira exchange rate for today, 22nd December 2024, can be…

48 minutes ago

NNPC debunks shutdown rumors, confirms fuel loading at Port Harcourt Refinery

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has refuted claims that the 60,000 barrels per…

57 minutes ago

‘We have to find a way’ – Guardiola laments after defeat to Aston Villa

Manchester City finds itself in unprecedented turmoil, with relegation-level form showing little sign of improvement.…

2 hours ago