Ambitious Transfer Aspirations
Former Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard is aiming to make a landmark transfer in Saudi football by expressing his desire to sign Lionel Messi for his team, Al-Ettifaq. Despite Cristiano Ronaldo already playing in the Middle East, many football enthusiasts rank Messi higher among the greatest players of the modern era. Gerrard, who currently manages Al-Ettifaq, has his sights set on bringing Messi, currently with Inter Miami, to Saudi Arabia.
Building a Star-Studded Team
Gerrard has previously been linked with his ex-Rangers stars James Tavernier and Connor Goldson and is keen to sign a big-name player ahead of the new Saudi Pro League season. The Liverpool legend, who finished sixth in his debut season as manager, is striving for more success.
Speaking to MBC Masr 2, Gerrard said: “It’s a dream for me to have Messi at Al-Ettifaq. He is an incredible player and would be a great asset for the club. I know it’s difficult for him to move to Saudi Arabia, but there’s nothing wrong with dreaming.”
Reflecting on His Managerial Journey
Gerrard was relieved of his duties at Aston Villa in October 2022, 11 months after joining from Rangers following a successful stint in the Scottish Premiership. He started strong at Villa, winning eight of his first 16 Premier League matches, but managed only four wins in his final 22 games.
Reflecting on his time at Villa, Gerrard told the Telegraph, “It was tough, it hurt, I felt it. But what people need to understand is if I didn’t feel that, if I didn’t take that personally, if I didn’t take full responsibility for that, then I am not Steven Gerrard anymore because when it’s football and it’s professional and it’s something that I love I will always own it.”
Gerrard shared insights into his coping process, including advice from Sir Alex Ferguson. “I spoke to a lot of managers around it. I went to see Alex Ferguson for a couple of hours and he said, ‘Take your time, don’t jump into anything. Take your time and process it, analyze it.’ And that is what I have done. But it has not affected my ambition.”
Passion for Coaching
Gerrard emphasized his passion for coaching and his desire to be the best version of himself in his career. “I am going along trying to be the best version of myself and have a career in coaching because I am passionate about it,” he said.