Liverpool have a number of former players in the Middle East, but one was recently sacked
Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler has been sacked as manager of Saudi Arabia’s second division side Al-Qadsiah.
Despite an unbeaten start to the league season in which Al-Qadsiah won six games and drew two, club officials sacked Fowler on Friday morning and replaced him with former Real Madrid and Spain striker Michel.
In a statement on social media, the club thanked the former Liverpool forward for his commitment to the team following his appointment in June 2023, but did not specify the reason for his departure.
Al-Qadsiah finished 11th in Saudi Arabia and also in the second tier last season, 23 points adrift of the top four places in the Saudi Pro League.
Fowlerand’s only loss to Al-Qadsiah came against Al-Taawoun of the Saudi Arabian Professional League in the King’s Cup, a game they were not expected to win. Wednesday night and the win over Al-Kholood marked Fowlerand’s last game with the 48-year-old, who leaves with the club second in the table, just a point behind Al-Orobah.
Since retiring from professional football in 2012, Fowler has worked for Muangthong United in Thailand, Brisbane Roar in Australia and East Bengal in India. During his playing career, he played 66 matches, of which he won 24, drew 19 and lost 23.
He hoped to take Al-Qadsiah to the Saudi Pro League next season, where he would have faced former Liverpool team-mate Steven Gerrard, who is now Al-Ettifaq boss.
Gerrard is struggling a bit at Al-Ettifaq, but his side are only seventh in the league. Although they brought in Jordan Henderson, Gini Wijnaldum and Moussa Dembele in the summer, stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Neymar, Sadio Mane and Riyad Mahrez are performing better now.
