Michael Beale Appointed Assistant Coach to Steven Gerrard at Al-Ettifaq

Michael Beale, formerly manager of Rangers and Sunderland, has been named assistant coach to Steven Gerrard at Saudi Pro League club Al-Ettifaq. This appointment marks a reunion for the 44-year-old Beale and Gerrard, who previously worked together when Beale served as Gerrard’s assistant at Rangers and Aston Villa. In Scotland, the duo achieved success, guiding Rangers to secure their inaugural Premiership title in a decade during the 2020-21 season. Following his move with Gerrard to Aston Villa in November 2021, Beale departed the club to take on the managerial role at Queen’s Park Rangers in the summer of 2022. By October of that year, he had guided QPR to the top position in the Championship standings. However, after previously declining an offer from Wolves, Beale subsequently returned to Rangers as their manager that November. The English coach’s tenure at Rangers concluded less than 11 months later, following his dismissal after the team lost three of their initial seven league matches in the 2023-24 season. This was followed by a period as Sunderland’s manager, but Beale’s time at the Stadium of Light lasted merely 12 games – marking the briefest managerial spell in the Black Cats’ history – before his dismissal in February 2024. Beale now reunites with Gerrard, aiming to contribute to an improvement in Al-Ettifaq’s performance, as the team currently occupies 10th place in the Saudi Pro League, having suffered defeat in five of their last six matches.