The question when Steven Gerrard took over Al-Ettifaq a few months back was simply, why.
The former Aston Villa and Rangers manager had enough credit in the bank for a Championship job or maybe even a lower mid-table Premier League side, but he said no.
The money may well have been a factor for Gerrard, with the former Liverpool captain reportedly earning £15.2 million a year according to The Sun. This put him in the top five wealthiest managers in the world.
He is behind Jurgen Klopp, Pep Guardiola and, perhaps surprisingly, Diego Simeone of Atletico Madrid. Not to mention, too, that the money Gerrard will receive will be tax-free.
But, surely money can’t be the only incentive for the Englishman who stayed at Liverpool for the majority of his career.
Gerrard may well have made enough money over the last few years to be able to relax, and enjoy being a pundit or a fan.
Well, no, he’s taken the decision to move to Saudi Arabia, and not even the most financially viable side in the division either.
Could he be a success?
Speaking about signing for Al-Ettifaq, he said: ” It needs to be the right footballing project for me and this is, it also needs to be for the right reason in terms of the challenge and the remit.”
It seems Gerrard loves a challenge and joining a side without many English speakers in it is certainly one. Whether he will get the support that he may need to build the team in his image remains to be seen.
But, what is clear is that Gerrard has the financial backing to be able to challenge for the Pro League title and cause a real upset this season.