Liverpool hero John Aldridge can understand Steven Gerrard taking the Al-Ettifaq job.
Some inside English football has questioned Gerrard's move to Saudi Arabia.
But Aldridge wrote for the Sunday World: "Sporting ambition should come before cash when you are in your prime playing days, but a player like Bobby Firmino has every right to cash his chips in and take the Saudi money.
"Legends like Ronaldo and Gerrard may not need any more money as they have lived through the most lucrative era in football history.
"Yet turning down offers on the scale they are coming from the Saudis is impossible, as it can ensure the future generations of your family will be secure and that is so important to all of us.
"Stevie might not have imagined the next step of his management career would be in Saudi Arabia, but I probably didn't expect to end up playing for Real Sociedad after a very successful spell at my boyhood club Liverpool.
"The name of Steven Gerrard is massive around the world and the Saudis know the power of having people like him in their league.
"From Stevie's perspective, he will still have dreams of managing Liverpool one day and this experience in Saudi Arabia will give him a fresh perspective that he can add into the mix for whatever comes after that.
"Who knows, Stevie could enhance his managerial reputation in his new role and in a few years time, the idea of moving to the Saudi League might become the norm."