Steven Gerrard: Michael Beale joins Al-Ettifaq as assistant manager

Former Rangers and Sunderland manager Michael Beale has been appointed assistant coach to Steven Gerrard at Saudi Pro League club Al-Ettifaq.

Beale, 44, joins up with Gerrard again having previously worked as his assistant at Rangers and Aston Villa.

The pair enjoyed success in Scotland as they led Rangers to their first Premiership title for 10 years in 2020-21.

After following Gerrard to Aston Villa in November 2021, Beale left to become Queen’s Park Rangers manager in the summer of 2022.

He took QPR to the top of the Championship table in October of that year but having already turned down the chance to join Wolves, Beale returned to Rangers as manager in the November.

The Englishman was sacked less than 11 months later after losing three of the first seven league games of the 2023-24 season.

A stint as Sunderland boss followed but Beale lasted only 12 games at the Stadium of Light – the shortest managerial spell in the Black Cats’ history – before he was sacked in February 2024.

He rejoins Gerrard hoping to help improve Al-Ettifaq’s fortunes, with the side currently 10th in the Saudi Pro League after losing five of their past six games.