England international Jordan Henderson could reportedly earn £700,000-a-week if he leaves Premier League giants Liverpool for Steven Gerrard’s Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia
I can see the usual horror has been provoked, now that some high profile figures in British football have become involved in the Saudi Pro League.
âIt is Jordan Henderson’s supposed wages which has sparked the outrage, and as regular readers of this column will know, I’ve never quite understood why footballers’ wages are such a sensitive topic, while the billions earned by financiers are never questioned.
âLet’s get one thing clear though. I’m not going to condemn Jordan, Steven Gerrard or anyone else who has gone to work in Saudi Arabia, or is thinking of doing so. Not because I’m taking the money too – that’s simply not true. As I’ve explained before, I have taken a job in the league below the Saudi Pro League because I am ambitious to become a manager, because I want to prove myself.
I’ve not been been given that chance in the UK. You look at my record, and I’ve done well wherever I’ve been, despite inheriting teams who were struggling before I arrived. This is my fourth head coach job now, and I back myself to succeed in this business.