Jeffers would 'love to go back' to Saudi Arabia after 'sudden' sacking

“From a football and lifestyle point of view, I loved it there and I'd go back any time,” the former Everton and Arsenal striker told Tribal Football.

Jeffers was assistant coach to Robbie Fowler at Al Qadisiya, then in the Saudi Second Division, before being sacked after just four months in charge.

While most managerial sackings happen after a run of poor results, it still baffles Jeffers why Fowler and his team got the boot after eight games. 

“We won six games, drew twice and were sitting pretty near the top of the league and then all of a sudden it came to an end.

"I think there was a little bit of a breakdown with the director of football. I always thought it was important that the director of football is able to work with the manager and it should be a two-way relationship, without going into too much detail, I don't quite feel that was the case there.

“I don't like to speak for other people, I'm sure people understand what I'm saying here. People are seeing the game differently. Results were going well; we were well on course and the team went on to win the league.

"Sometimes people are against you and that's just football,” explains Jeffers who has known Fowler for years and would gladly embrace another chance of working together.

“Robbie is a top manager and it amazes me that no one's given him an opportunity yet in England. As for myself, I've just been getting out to games, trying to get around the right people and just waiting for the next opportunity.”

As mentioned, Jeffers would love to head back to Saudi Arabia as he sees a big future on the horizon for the Saudi football project.

”The big thing for me is that they're not only trying to take the best players who are beyond 30. Players who have been superstars but have slowed down a bit. They're not doing that. They're trying to take players in their prime now. Obviously, there’s an issue of how many each club can take according to their rules. 

"That'll be an issue because it will take a few years for the standard of the Saudi players to get up to the standard of the top foreign players, there's no doubt about that. But it will happen. Very soon that might probably be one of the stronger leagues in the world.”

Francis Jeffers was talking to Tribal Football on behalf of William Hill Vegas.