Steven Gerrard spotted at major sporting event as he gives personal update after Al-Ettifaq exit
STEVEN GERRARD attended a major padel tournament in Qatar as he remains in the Middle East following his Al-Ettifaq exit.
The Liverpool legend left his role as boss of the Saudi Arabian club in January after 18 months at the helm.
Gerrard, 44, had been under mounting pressure with his side languishing just five points above the relegation zone in the Saudi Pro League when he left the club.
The retired midfielder walked away from a mammoth £15.2m-a-year salary following reports he had requested to leave the club due to “personal reasons”.
Now he has been spotted enjoying himself away from the football pitch, switching to a new sport as he watched the Qatar Major Premier Padel finals in Doha.
In a video posted on Qatar Padel’s Instagram, Gerrard said he was excited to watch the sport after making a personal update that he has taken the sport up himself.
He said: “I’m here in Doha enjoying the padel tournament. Watching the ladies semi-finals, looking forward to the mens semi-finals.
“I’ve just recently taken padel up myself at amateur level, trying to improve and grow.
“The quality and the standard here is magnificent and there’s a great atmosphere in the crowd.
“I’m really looking forward to the finals tomorrow. Good luck to everyone”.
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS
Gerrard remains without a job in management since ending his time with Al-Ettifaq, but has already been tipped for top jobs.
The 114-time England international was linked with a return to Scottish giants Rangers, who he previously guided to an unbeaten title in 2021.
While Danny Murphy said that the Champions League winner should have taken the Blackburn Rovers job before the Championship outfit appointed Valerien Ismael in February.
Gerrard is still yet to land that next job, but revealed this month that he will definitely be returning to the dugout in the future – just not right now.
Speaking to That Peter Crouch Podcast, the former Aston Villa boss said: “I don’t want to be back in work, not at the moment.
“I’ve just come out, so I am happy waking up, being free, doing the family stuff and being free from the stress.
” I will go back in at some point but when it is round the clock for 18 months, I just want to be free and do normal things that you can’t do when you are coaching like a game of golf or go down the boozer.
“I want to do normal things that you can’t really do when you’re coaching, so I am all good.
“I’m good and stress free. I’m out of work in terms of the coaching and management, which is obviously 24/7.”