Simon Jordan has sharply criticised Steven Gerrard’s managerial stint in Saudi Arabia, calling him a “poor manager” after his time at Al-Ettifaq. The former football executive and pundit questioned the former Liverpool and England midfielder’s capabilities, suggesting that his tenure in the Saudi Pro League has raised doubts about his future in top-level management.
Gerrard, the former Liverpool captain and England international, leaves his position with Al-Ettifaq after a disappointing run of results, with the team sitting 12th in the league after 17 matches. The club, which had finished sixth in the league last season, is now facing the threat of relegation. Despite removing several key staff members, including the sporting director and assistant manager, the club has decided to part ways with Gerrard by mutual consent.
Simon Jordan, speaking on TalkSport, was highly critical of Gerrard’s ability to manage at the level many expected him to, particularly given his status as a former football legend. “He’s a poor manager at the level that Steven Gerrard, or the world, would have you believe that Steven Gerrard is entitled to manage at,” Jordan said. He went on to suggest that Gerrard’s poor spell at both Villa and Al-Ettifaq raises serious questions about his future in management.
Jordan argued that despite being paid £15 million a year in Saudi Arabia, Gerrard’s stint in the Middle East has not provided him with the kind of growth expected from a top manager. “He’s come back from Saudi not having done anything meaningful over there,” Jordan remarked. “I don’t know what he’s good at. I don’t know whether he’s a good player identifier.”
While acknowledging that Gerrard was a great player and a respected leader on the field, Jordan cast doubt on his managerial qualities, saying that his short-lived success at Rangers and underperformance at Aston Villa suggested he wasn’t living up to expectations as a manager. “You must deduce something: either he’s terribly unlucky, or he isn’t very good,” Jordan said.
The TalkSport pundit also discussed the apparent disconnect between Gerrard’s career as a player and his current managerial challenges. “Nobody goes to manage and play in Saudi Arabia if the playing field is level,” Jordan pointed out, indicating that the financial incentives in Saudi Arabia were a significant factor in Gerrard’s decision to take the role. Despite the criticisms, Jordan emphasized that the high salary Gerrard earned in Saudi Arabia could be viewed as a result of his footballing legacy rather than his managerial accomplishments.
Looking ahead, Jordan doesn’t see Gerrard landing a position at a “significantly serious football club.” While he acknowledged that Gerrard might still find opportunities in football, Jordan suggested that he would likely need to rebuild his career in a secondary role or development capacity rather than as a top-tier manager.
The conversation about Gerrard’s managerial future continues, and his next steps will be closely watched. However, for now, Simon Jordan’s critical comments serve as a stark reminder of the unpredictable nature of football management and the challenges even the biggest names face when transitioning into leadership roles off the pitch.
