Nearly a year after joining Al Ettifaq as manager, Steven Gerrard has brought another Liverpool player to the club.
Gerrard was announced as manager of Saudi Pro League club Al Ettifaq in July 2023, later extending his deal to keep him at the club until 2027.
Al Ettifaq finished sixth in the 2023/2024 Saudi Pro League season, with Neymar’s Al Hilal winning the title ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr.
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Since joining the club, Gerrard has signed several former Liverpool players, including Georginio Wijnaldum, who captains the club, and Jordan Henderson, who left less than six months later for Dutch giants Ajax.
Gerrard is set to continue this trend as it has been revealed that a former Liverpool academy goalkeeper will join the Saudi club as a member of the backroom staff.
Andy Firth started his career at Liverpool, only to sign for Barrow in 2018 having never made an appearance for the Reds.
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Less than a year later however, the English keeper joined Rangers who, at the time, were managed by none other than Steven Gerrard.
Firth spent three and a half years with the Scottish club, winning the Premiership in 2020/21, before ultimately returning to Liverpool as a coach, following a couple of seasons playing in Wales.
After his second departure from Liverpool was announced, Firth extended his thanks to the Merseyside club for allowing him to return.
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He said: “A big thanks to LFC for having me back in with the U21s & coaching the young keepers.
“I’ve been so lucky to work with some amazing players and staff since being back at the club again & I can’t wait to see what the future holds for them all.”
But Firth isn’t the only former Liverpool man that has been swept up by Gerrard, with Jurgen Klopp’s former goalkeeping coach John Acherberg also joining Al-Ettifaq.
Achterberg will be the head goalkeeping coach for the Saudi club, with Firth acting as his assistant.
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Ben McCrum