Steven Gerrard insists the Saudi Pro League will only continue its rapid growth as he outlined his reasons for taking the role as the new Al-Ettifaq manager.
Gerrard became the latest high profile name to align themselves with Saudi Arabia's top flight when he signed a deal to become the manager of Ettifaq last week.
It's the Liverpool legend's first job in management since he was sacked as Aston Villa boss in November of last year as the SPL added another big name to its league to go alongside the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, who left Manchester United and Real Madrid to join Al-Nassr and Al-Ittihad in November and June respectively.
Players like Ruben Neves, Kalidou Koulibaly and N'Golo Kante, have all left the Premier League this summer to sign for clubs in the Middle Eastern nation and Gerrard reckons the growth of the nation's top league will only get better as he spoke for the first time since becoming Ettifaq boss.
Gerrard initially claimed that he had turned down an approach from Ettifaq during BT Sport's coverage of the Champions League final between Inter and Manchester City on June 10. However, talks resumed earlier this month before the former Reds captain agreed to join.
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Gerrard said: "I think my message to the supporters is that I am really happy and I am really excited. I am a coach that is very ambitious, that likes to work tirelessly to make sure the team is very competitive and I am looking forward to meeting the supporters and so are my staff.
"If we're all together and we all stay aligned I am sure we can achieve our goals together. I think the league will continue to grow and evolve and I think with fantastic support from the government and the ministers and all the clubs in the Saudi Pro League, all the supporters, the players, everyone involved, we all have ambitions to grow and evolve and make it one of the best leagues in the world.
"I think the club already has an outstanding culture and fantastic support. It has a really important president and we're about to change to a new president but the board are all aligned and ambitious people who give a lot of time into this club.
"I want to be part of that culture from the playing side and try to improve and build relationships with the people above me and hopefully together we can be the support the team needs to get better and move up the table."
The former Rangers and Villa manager added: "I think there were a lot of reasons for me wanting to join the football club and I think the club has a lot of good people that represent the club from the board down.
“When I went to Saudi I got a real family feeling. It made me actually feel welcomed. There are three things I always consider in order - it needs to be right for my family first and foremost. We have to be excited and motivated by the challenge.
“Secondly I think the football project needs to be ambitious, it needs to be for the right reasons in terms of the challenge and the remit and then of course you need to feel secure with the contract, but this comes at the very end.
"So it was a combination of reasons. I am extremely excited, I am happy and I can't wait to start. I can't wait to meet all the supporters and all the players. But the people I have met so far who represent Ettifaq have been absolutely outstanding and I think we share a lot of things in common."
