Liverpool icon , although at the helm of club Al-Ettifaq, .

Gerrard, 44, found himself steering Al-Ettifaq in 2023 after leaving his post at Aston Villa nearly nine months prior. He brought in former stars Jordan Henderson and Georginio Wijnaldum, as well as ex-Everton attacker Demarai Gray to the side. Despite the high-profile additions, Gerrard's first season concluded with Al-Ettifaq settling for sixth place, while Henderson left after just half-a-season.

But it's not just on the pitch that Gerrard continues to make interesting choices - it's his domestic set-up as well. Opting for the tranquillity of Bahrain over the hustle of Saudi Arabia, Gerrard along with his spouse Alex Curran reside in Hamala, a quiet village within Bahrain's borders but remarkably close to Dammam, where Al-Ettifaq calls home.

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This geographical preference means Gerrard embarks on an uncommon daily commute to work, crossing a vast border and driving across the remarkable King Fahd Causeway, which spans approximately 15 miles between the two nations.

Andre Gray, formerly of Al-Riyadh and Watford FC, shed light on such commutes during Fozcast, stating: "I think where Gerrard's team is, that's next to Bahrain. You have to get across the border, but I think they have a pass. You'll get an automatic pass, basically, so you can go straight through. I think it'll be like that, otherwise you'd get stuck at the border."

The former Liverpool captain reportedly lives with his family in a luxurious villa, complete with a swimming pool, games room, and high-end restaurants and clubs. It's believed Curran preferred Bahrain's more Westernised lifestyle over Saudi Arabia.

Although Gerrard may not have initially envisioned coaching in the Middle East, having won the Scottish Premiership with Rangers in the 2020-21 season, he has admitted to settling into the region. After signing his new contract last year, Gerrard said: "The renewal decision brought a lot of positive feelings for me and my family, as it was the culmination of the hard work and 'true' dedication that everyone showed from day one.

"From the beginning, we realized the size of the responsibility and the number of challenges that awaited us, which prompted us to invest in creating new infrastructure, such as new training facilities and building a new stadium. We have achieved remarkable progress in these projects, as a result of the mutual trust between me and the club management."

This year has proven to be a tough one for Gerrard's players. They currently sit 11th in the Saudi Pro League, with just four victories from their 13 matches this season.