Michael Beale's reunion with former Rangers manager Steven Gerrard in the Saudi Pro League last month raised eyebrows, but Al-Ettifaq have since returned a string of favourable results.
After days of speculation about Beale – another former Rangers manager himself – his most recent move was confirmed on November 20, four days before Al-Ettifaq's league encounter with Al-Riyhad.
The sides drew that match 0-0, before Gerrard and Beale's outfit overcame Al Arabi 2-1 in the GCC Champions League group stage just three days later.
A 4-0 humbling at the hands of Laurent Blanc's Al-Ittihad followed – on a night when N'Golo Kante opened the scoring, and former Real Madrid hitman Kareem Benzema ran amok – before Al-Ettifaq bounced back with a 5-0 win, again over Al Arabi, again in the GCC Champions League.
Back in Saudi Pro League action, and Al-Ettifaq triumphed 2-1 against Al-Khaleej on Saturday, December 7 – marking Gerrard's first league win since mid-September.
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The Saudi Pro League has now been paused for its winter break, with fixtures set to return on January 13, 2025.
Al-Ettifaq are currently placed 11th of 18, with 15 points – 21 points behind league leaders Al-Ittihad, and six points above the table's current relegation zone.
Time will tell how Gerrard and Beale's Saudi reunion might unfold, however Beale's impact so far appears to be taking the club in a more positive direction.
Upon Beale re-joining Gerrard, the latter said: "He is a great coach. He will help the team a lot, but we need time to develop some things. I am sure that he will develop the team more.
“I did not want to lose Michael when I was at Aston Villa, and when he left (for QPR) I was upset.
"It was a blow to me, and if he had been available when I negotiated to come to Al-Ettifaq, he would have been my assistant at the club."
