Liverpool hero Steven Gerrard nears end of managerial career like Frank Lampard

Presumably Steven Gerrard had a soft spot for Al-Ettifaq growing up. Maybe there was a poster of Hamad Al-Dbikhi from the 1988 Arab Club Champions Cup-winning side on his bedroom wall in Huyton.

He must feel it is in his calling to bring back those glory days for the mid-table Saudi Pro League club. What else could begin to explain his decision to decamp to the desert and take up the post of manager? Because as a career progression the move is a step into a dusty void.

For a coach nearing the end of their career Saudi might have a pull as a pension pot but for someone like Gerrard wanting to climb the ladder moving there represents a significant misstep.

As a player, he was driven, street-smart and he set sky-high standards - transferable attributes which should have given him a head start in coaching.