Jürgen Klopp’s assistant at Liverpool Pep Lijnders has been chosen as RB Salzburg’s new manager for the upcoming season.
Pep Lijnders to Leave Liverpool with Klopp
Lijnders will join Klopp in departing the Premier League club at the end of the season, signing a three-year contract with the Austrian side. He will be joined in Salzburg by Vitor Manos, who was Liverpool’s top development coach.
The 41-year-old Dutchman joined Liverpool in 2014 before becoming first-team development coach in 2015. Pep Lijnders had worked for Brendan Rodgers before joining Klopp in October 2015.
He left Liverpool briefly in 2018 to manage NEC Nijmegen in the Netherlands for five months before returning to Liverpool as assistant manager for the 2018-19 season, where he remained until the end of the season.
Throughout his tenure, he played a crucial role in the team’s success under both Brendan Rodgers and Klopp.
What Pep Lijnders Said on leaving Liverpool?
Expressing his views Lijnders said,
“I am very proud to become the new head coach of FC Red Bull Salzburg,”
“This is a real privilege for me. After PSV Eindhoven, FC Porto and Liverpool FC, I am now moving to another exceptional club with a really good structure and a particular focus on youth development.”
“I want to develop a mentality with the team that places a lot of emphasis on attacking style of play and where passion and hunger for success are the basis of everything.”
“Together with my assistant coach Vitor Matos and the entire support team, we will do our best to help the club continue to grow in an ever-changing football world.”
What RB Salzburg’s Sporting Director Said?
RB Salzburg’s sporting director, Bernhard Seonbuchner, said:
“We have been able to get an ideal candidate for the coaching position at FC Red Bull Salzburg in Pepijn Lijnders.”
“He is a real football expert and has been a huge influence on a very successful time for Liverpool with his qualities in developing players.”
“The discussions with him were a great success, and there was a clear agreement on the way we want to play, what we are about as a club, and where we want to go together. We are really looking forward to our time with him, but we will do everything we can to take the current season to a successful end first.”
When Klopp announced his departure from Liverpool in January, it was believed that Lijnders would follow suit.
The team is set to name current Feyenoord manager Arne Slot as their new manager next week. As his first hire, Slot will send his assistant, Sipke Hulshoff, according to ESPN sources.
Lijnders worked alongside Klopp at Liverpool, helping the club win the 2019 Champions League, the 2020 Premier League title, the FA Cup in 2022, and two League Cup titles.
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