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Steven Gerrard is under threat in his Saudi Arabia venture and it is difficult to see where he will go next if he is sacked, Ian Ladyman told Mail Sport’s It’s All Kicking Off podcast.
Gerrard’s tenure at Al-Ettifaq has worsened with an eight-match winless streak, which has seen his team drop to eighth in the table, despite significant summer spending.
Ladyman argued that “no one really cares” what is happening in the Saudi Pro League, while Chris Sutton added that Gerrard would not be handed a top Premier League job afterwards.
On that point, Sutton considered that Jordan Henderson, who plays for Al-Ettifaq, must be “dreaming” of being at Liverpool as they orchestrate the fight for the title instead of playing in a smaller league.
‘Steven Gerrard is in a bit of trouble there. “They are eighth in the league, 26 points behind the leaders, without a win since October,” Ladyman said.
Steven Gerrard’s Saudi Pro League side have failed to win in their last eight games
Ian Ladyman wonders where Gerrard’s managerial career would go if he fails at Al-Ettifaq
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“Steven has spoken over the last few days asking for more money to spend on players. It seems like this is an experiment that is starting to go wrong for Steven.
“And if that goes wrong, if you can’t get what you want and you can’t change things, if you lose that job, I don’t know where you’re going to go in your career.”
“You don’t think the job he did at Rangers was as good as I think. We’ve talked about that before, but you haven’t. You thought the job he did at Rangers was okay. I thought it was a little better than that. He failed. in Villa.
Sutton said: ‘A trophy out of nine. Your misunderstanding about the weather up there (in Scotland). You know, he got a lot of praise in the South and he deserved some praise, but some of it was exaggerated.
And that’s why he ended up getting the job at Villa. We review what the Villa coach who replaced him, Unai Emery, has done with a very similar squad. I think Gerrard was a little blinded by Coutinho, bringing him in and all the talk about the next level.
“He’s gone to Saudi Arabia and it doesn’t seem to be working.” Will he get another job in football? If you want one (then yes). Because? Because he has a huge profile. But he will undoubtedly have to move up. He’s not going to get a job.
“It’s not a team that’s in the top eight of the Premier League, that’s just not going to happen.” So it’s up to him and whether after this episode he’s hungry or not, that remains to be seen.
“But no, as I say, he will look for another job because of his profile, but that’s all, not because of what he has really achieved in management.”
Chris Sutton believes he doesn’t have as much credit in the Rangers bank as Ladyman and claimed: “He’s not going to get a job.”
Gerrard’s team spent big in the summer but are now below where they finished last season.
Co-host Ladyman added: “And when you talk about profile, it’s clear since the Saudi Pro League started this season that he has no profile.” Well, certainly in Europe anyway.
“We were all a little intrigued when they came with a lot of money to sign some of the best players in the Premier League.
“But since the league started, nobody really cares. Did you have any idea how Steven Gerrard was doing before he told you, for example?
Sutton replied: ‘Not really, no. “It’s not a league I follow.”
Ladyman continued: ‘Exactly, and you and I have some critiques on this podcast, one thing I will always say about you is that you are impeccably prepared in terms of research for all the things you need. do. You don’t know what happens there. I do not know what’s happening.
“And you wonder if the players and coaches that are there really have anything to fall back on for comfort other than the money they’re paid.
“I’m starting to wonder if some of them, like Jordan Henderson, for example, are starting to wonder if all this money is worth it to operate and play in what is a vacuum.
“While we are in England and other countries around the world, in Europe, but particularly in England, we have this incredible Premier League season. I just don’t know if there is a lot of money that can make up for what you are missing there.
Sutton felt Jordan Henderson would be “wishing he was still at Anfield” for a Premier League title run, especially with a long winter break in Saudi Arabia.
Henderson joined Al-Ettifaq after a long transfer saga in the summer.
He signed a contract worth £700,000 a week in a £12 million transfer.
Sutton said: “Yes, totally, in short, Jordan Henderson.” He will be watching Liverpool in their title fight and wishing he was still at Anfield. There is absolutely no doubt about it.
“Let’s see, you know, let’s not get carried away by the culture and I will give Al-Ettifaq a chance and we will try to build a club.”
‘We know where he would prefer to be. We know why she went to Saudi Arabia. We have talked about this many times. It was because of the money, but he will be attentive to what happens this season in the Premier League and will dream of being there.
Ladyman said: ‘A six-week winter holiday in Saudi Arabia is about to begin. Do not play. The Saudi Pro League will pause from December 30 to February 15.
Sutton joked: What do all the players do then? Are you going somewhere hot?
Ladyman said: ‘Desperate to get to cold weather! But I wonder if it will give some of those players pause to think and maybe take a look at their career and maybe do some reconsiderations.”