Ian Foster has returned to football after more than two years out of a job

Former Pompey coach Ian Foster is back in management.

The 49-year-old, who was a key member of Paul Cook’s backroom team during his successful stint as Blues manager between 2015-17, has been named as the new boss of Saudi second-tier side Jeddah Sporting Club.

His appointment represents his first job since being sacked as manager of Plymouth Argyle in 2024, after just 88 days in charge of the Home Park outfit.

The move also sees Foster return to the Middle East after a previous spell there in 2023 as an assistant to then Al-Ettifaq boss Steven Gerrard.

Liverpool legend Gerrard turned to the former Blues coach after he enjoyed a highly productive period with the Football Association, which saw England’s under-19s win the Uefa European Championships in 2022.

Foster left his role at Pompey to link up with the FA at St George’s Park in February 2017, just months before close pal Cook lead the Blues to the 2016-17 League Two title.

Yet he was interested in a return to Fratton Park in January 2023 when Pompey made the decision to part ways with Danny Cowley.

The News understood at the time that Foster was keen to take over at PO4 and was interviewed for the role.

However, a reunion never materialised, with John Mousinho instead appointed as head coach.

Plymouth provided the Liverpudlian his first club management job in England in January 2024 following Steven Schumacher’s switch to Stoke City.

At the time, the Pilgrims were 18th in the Championship table and seven points above the relegation zone.

However, Foster was relieved of his duties in April of that year as Argyle sat one place and a point above the drop zone following a run of one win in 11 games.

Confirming news of his Jeddah appointment, Foster wrote on social media: ‘New Beginnings, back in the Kingdom. Yalla Shabab.’

Among those to like his post on Instagram was Conor Chaplin, who of course worked with Foster during his 21 months at Fratton Park.

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