Football Daily | Steven Gerrard’s Saudi U-turn and the ongoing hosing of petro-dollars

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It’s a former England midfielder’s prerogative to change his mind and that seems to be exactly what Steven Gerrard has done in the two weeks since revealing he had “received an invitation to look at a potential offer” to manage Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq. While working as a pundit on Channel 4’s coverage of England’s recent Euros qualifier against North Macedonia, the perma-furrowed former Rangers and Aston Villa boss said he had “been analysing that over the last couple of days, but as we stand right now, I won’t be taking that offer up”. $tevie’s stance has seemingly shifted in the intervening fortnight, prompting cynics to speculate over what, or more specifically by how much, the size of his mooted salary might have changed to sign a two-year deal, managing an unspeakably wealthy club in a league hosing obscene amounts of petro-dollars at assorted players in a bid to raise its standard and profile.

Dominik Szoboszlai had indeed better check that supposed Steven Gerrard tattoo quote (yesterday’s News, Bits and Bobs, full email edition), in case it actually translates as: ‘Talent is a blessing from God, but if you can’t keep a decent Villa squad off the foot of the table, you’d better think twice about taking that Saudi coin.’ It’s better than ‘just knock it Mamadou, I’m thinking about launching a Hollywood over Demba Ba’, to be fair” – Jon Millard.

Never mind Sam Leitch’s ‘dancing in the streets of Raith’ comment (yesterday’s Football Daily letters). His finest moment came on Grandstand in October 1971, when he said: ‘In Scotland it’s League Cup final day where Celtic take on Partick Thistle who have no chance.’ Cue a 4-1 Partick win. To this day there is a Thistle supporters’ club called the ‘Sam Leitch Loyal’” – Peter Storch.

It’s worth mentioning this is still commemorated by the presence of Martha Reeves and the Vandellas’ Dancing in the Street as part of the pre-match music at Stark’s Park” – Steve Parker.

In an ontological nightmare scenario, it is possible that Football Daily made up Guy Robert’s doubting letter about making letters up (yesterday’s letters). The new season really can’t come quickly enough” – John Lawton (or is it?).

This all reminds me of the time back in the early-90s when I read one letter in a Saturday newspaper’s glossy magazine (not Big Paper) that was quite scathing about an article in the previous week’s magazine, about Gary Lineker’s experience playing in Japan. I was, nonetheless, quite keen to read the article and, fortunately for me, the journalist that had been savaged in the letter lived in the same flats as me, so I popped round to see if he had a copy I could read. When I referenced the letter he said: ‘Oh, I wrote that too, we were short this week’” – Brendan Mackinney.

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