After years as Klopp's assistant, Lijnders is able to lead at Salzburg

The partitions of Pep Lijnders’ storage in his new Salzburg house are nonetheless naked.

The unpacked containers on the ground include reminiscences of his journey from teaching apprentice at PSV to changing into Jürgen Klopp’s “equal companion” at Liverpool, as Klopp calls it. There are framed photographs, shirts and match balls from the a number of finals he helped the staff attain.

However there may be one different souvenir he cherishes above all because it sums up what he is captivated with; creating youth, and seeing them flourish on soccer’s greatest stage. Subsequent to one of many match balls from the 2019 Champions League remaining is a photograph from the celebrations after Liverpool’s triumph. It’s a photograph of Lijnders with Trent Alexander-Arnold on his again. Alexander-Arnold framed it and gave it to him when Lijnders left Liverpool together with Klopp in Could. The caption reads: “That is my favorite photograph of us, too. Thanks for completely EVERYTHING. With out you, none of it was doable. Trent.”

Lijnders has received pages and pages of coaching classes courting again 20 years. His journey started in 2002 as youth coach at PSV, in 2006 he moved to FC Porto, then in 2014 he labored by the Liverpool ranks to change into a coach underneath Brendan Rodgers and Klopp, earlier than he determined to attempt on his personal throughout a chastening spell as NEC Nijmegen supervisor in 2018. He returned to Liverpool six months later with nice success and, as Klopp advised ESPN NL in August, Lijnders was the German’s footballing “inspiration for the final 9 years.”

Lijnders is now embarking on one other journey at FC Salzburg, hoping to channel influences like Johan Cruyff, the daddy of Dutch “Complete Soccer,” Italian visionary and AC Milan legend Arrigo Sacchi, and ex-Feyenoord supervisor Wiel Coerver whereas instilling his personal philosophy as a “counter-pressing monster,” as Klopp places it. However this is not Liverpool 2.0, and he is not residing underneath Klopp’s wing.

The trail from assistant underneath a well known boss to supervisor in your personal proper is a well-trodden one. There are success tales: Mikel Arteta left Pep Guardiola’s stewardship in 2019 for the Arsenal job and has achieved extremely effectively in a brief area of time; José Mourinho was assistant to Bobby Robson at Barcelona earlier than breaking out on his personal to change into one of the vital profitable managers of all time; new Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca labored underneath Guardiola; whereas the nice Joe Fagan took what he discovered from legendary duo Invoice Shankly and Bob Paisley to steer Liverpool to silverware within the Eighties.

However then there are the cautionary tales too: In 1998, Brian Kidd’s tenure at Blackburn lasted 11 months after seven trophy-laden years at Manchester United with Sir Alex Ferguson; John Carver prospered underneath Robson and Alan Pardew at Newcastle however flopped when he took cost as caretaker in 2015.

So, it is with that historical past of unpredictability that Lijnders goes it alone at Salzburg. He desires his staff to be identified for his blueprint of footballing “depth.” However he will not be given too lengthy a grace interval. His staff have made a measured begin — successful eight from 14 video games, however shedding 4-0 to Brest within the Champions League on Tuesday — and whereas it is a group famend for youth improvement, the followers anticipate success given final season was their first with out silverware for a decade.

“We’re attempting to create a staff that may beat anyone in world soccer,” Lijnders advised ESPN NL in August. “Are we there but? No, completely not. However we’re on the right track.”

From Cruyff to Klopp

Lijnders’ taking part in profession as a combative midfielder for native novice membership SVEB on the Dutch-German border was lower brief at 17 years previous as a consequence of an ACL harm. He went to the Central Institute for Sports activities Chief Coaching (CIOS) to check and started working at PSV Eindhoven, getting the one teaching apprenticeship on provide to college students on the course. As he juggled his research and his job at PSV, he additionally took cost of SVEB’s reserves, the place he first tried to implement his philosophy: a mixture of “Complete Soccer” (a fluid soccer system encouraging positional interchangeability championed by Cruyff) and relentless counter-pressing.

“I had the sensation gamers got here to life after I coached, which provides you confidence,” he says.

The apprenticeship with PSV was meant to be a five-year challenge, however he was awarded a full-time contract after three years, and spent the subsequent two years flitting between the US and the Netherlands with fellow coach Frans Hoek whereas creating skills like Cody Gakpo and Jordan Teze. He learnt from the legendary Guus Hiddink when he was PSV coach from 2002 to 2006 and tells ESPN: “Guus gave color to Dutch soccer in the best way Jürgen gave color to German soccer.”

In 2007, aged 24, Lijnders had curiosity from MTK Budapest, however took up a contract at FC Porto the place he held on Vitor Frade’s each phrase. Frade — admired by Mourinho, André Villas-Boas, Robson and numerous others — was a college professor who was additionally assistant supervisor at Porto and the daddy of tactical periodisation (basically utilizing coaching as a mirror for match depth and rhythm, fairly than an remoted train). Lijnders remembers their tactical improvements on the time and breaks into a large smile, referencing an aerial {photograph} he has of 1 Co Adriaanse’s setup the place he deployed solely wingers on the flanks and no full-backs. On the time it blew his thoughts.

In Portugal, Lijnders labored to spearhead Porto’s “Undertaking 611,” an umbrella time period for the membership’s plan to re-think the academy’s relationship with the primary staff. “I educated all of the groups — U19 within the morning, U15 within the afternoon, and U12 and U11 within the night,” he says. “Generally I might have 40 gamers, however I did not communicate a phrase of Portuguese.”

Regardless of that barrier, Porto flourished. The membership introduced by skills like João Félix, André Gomes, André Silva, Fabio Vieira and Diogo Dalot. There was additionally midfielder Rúben Neves, a participant who captained Lijnders’ youth groups at Porto, acted as translator, and somebody who Lijnders wrote that he “likes to bits” in his 2022 ebook “Depth.”

“That is why I really like soccer a lot,” Lijnders says. “The connection you forge with the gamers. If that bond is not there, there isn’t any strategy to success.”

He was sounded out by Rene Meulensteen in early 2013 as a doable addition to Ferguson’s backroom employees at Man United, however that collapsed when Ferguson retired on the finish of that season. And by mid-2014, Lijnders was prepared for a brand new problem. Whereas learning for his UEFA teaching badges underneath the steerage of the Welsh FA, Lijnders had utilized for a youth coach emptiness at Liverpool job, so the membership despatched U23 supervisor Michael Beale and academy director Alex Inglethorpe to take heed to one in every of his displays. It did the job: “Michael stated to me, ‘Pepijn, you are not flying again to Porto, you are coming with me to Liverpool.'”

Lijnders flew to Liverpool that night, was put up in a resort, and for 3 days they talked. It ended up with Liverpool providing Lijnders a contract to take cost of the U16 and U15s: a gaggle that included Rhian Brewster, Ben Woodburn, Caoimhín Kelleher, Curtis Jones, and, notably, captain Alexander-Arnold.

That summer season Lijnders was promoted to a job with the primary staff underneath Rodgers, however when the Northern Irishman was sacked on Oct. 4, 2005, Mike Gordon (president of the membership’s homeowners Fenway Sports activities Group) requested Lijnders to maintain Liverpool’s coaching floor Melwood ticking over whereas they pursued Klopp. After all, when the German took over there have been no ensures he was going to maintain Lijnders. A number of of Rodgers’ employees had left already, however Gordon requested the brand new supervisor to maintain on a few coaches from the earlier regime. Klopp nonetheless had veto energy, however was open to the concept.

The primary was John Achtenberg. “Good, as a result of I did not have a goalkeeping coach,” Klopp remembers telling Gordon. He requested his new boss: “What does the opposite man do?” Gordon stated Lijnders was a “technical coach;” an skilled in bridging the hole between youth and first staff.

“In Germany, no one pays for a coach like that,” Klopp tells ESPN. “They’d say, ‘You need a second assistant for what? What are you doing?’ So, I preferred the concept quite a bit.”

It was a luxurious to Klopp, however he nonetheless did not know a lot about this younger Dutch coach. So on his first evening on the membership, the new-look Liverpool administration met for dinner within the Hope Road Resort. Klopp had his trusted employees Zeljko Buvac and Peter Krawietz there with him, however he wished to get to know the brand new faces. Achtenberg sat to 1 facet of him; Lijnders to the opposite. “It was roughly love at first sight,” Klopp says of Lijnders. “I noticed his ardour for every part.”

Klopp additionally noticed how a lot Lijnders revered him. “I do not see myself as an distinctive coach,” he says. “I do know some individuals for some cause assume that, and you may see it in Pep’s eyes. You might see him assume, ‘I higher hear.’ That is the way it began. By the top, we had been equal companions.”

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Blossoming at Anfield

Lijnders’ first position underneath Klopp was as elite improvement coach. He loves flipcharts and every facet of his tactical imaginative and prescient was written down on these huge items of paper. Klopp remembers these early conferences, and the way at any time when he’d discuss, he’d hear Lijnders’ pen scribbling away, noting down every part he stated.

At this stage, Klopp known as Buvac the “mind” and Krawietz the “eye.” Talking in 2017 to LFC TV, Klopp stated: “Pep has change into unbelievably necessary in a short while as a result of he writes every part down. He’s additionally a part of ‘the mind’ as a result of he’s our thoughts to recollect the issues what we did in earlier classes … I received the Dutch coach who was against possession! Dutch soccer is possession-based: it is Complete Soccer, Cruyff. However he was a counter-pressing monster. I cherished his pleasure and the best way he will get out of the saddle when he talks about soccer.”

Certainly one of his biggest contributions in that first interval at Liverpool got here in nudging Klopp to present a few of the academy gamers an opportunity within the first staff, with Alexander-Arnold one of many first promoted in 2016 on the age of 18.

“I may write a ebook concerning the second he first advised me about Trent Alexander-Arnold,” Klopp tells ESPN. “We opened the door; Trent ran proper by it. His proper foot is ridiculous. The Trent highlights video is ridiculous. You do not want the objectives, it is the passes, you watch the passes and assume ‘How is that doable?’ It is a fully completely different sport.”

Lijnders additionally had a huge impact in bridging the hole between first staff and academy. “I learnt from him,” Klopp provides. “He opened my thoughts for various issues in soccer. As all of us grow old, the gap between you and the age of the participant group will get larger. My two sons saved me in contact with that technology, however after all, the subsequent technology of world-class coaches are already on the market. There’s at all times change, improvement and enchancment. Pep opened my eyes for these sorts of issues.

Below Klopp, Lijnders assumed extra duty: planning coaching and the schedule round matches. Off the pitch, the 2 frequently performed padel and have become extremely shut buddies.

Liverpool completed fourth in 2016-17 however, halfway by the next marketing campaign, Lijnders was being sounded out a few head-coach place of his personal again within the Netherlands. Eager to return to his homeland to be together with his father as he battled most cancers, the 34-year-old determined to take the highest job at then-second division facet NEC Nijmegen on Jan. 2, 2018. His objective was to safe promotion again to the Eredivisie, but it surely proved to be an ill-fated spell and so they misplaced within the playoffs to FC Emmen. After over 5 months within the position, he left by mutual settlement on Could 17.

“I’ve at all times taken full duty and by no means stated a foul phrase about NEC,” Lijnders says. “It is a lovely membership, however generally the timing just isn’t proper. Generally there isn’t a click on, or generally you be part of a membership the place you want endurance. However I take duty. I do not need to say an excessive amount of about it, as a result of every part I say may come throughout mistaken. I learnt quite a bit to take into my subsequent job.”

Again at Anfield, Buvac had moved on in April and Klopp was in search of a brand new assistant. After all, he wished Lijnders again.

Someday, Lijnders was within the backyard together with his spouse Danielle and mom when his cellphone rang. It was Klopp, and Danielle requested what the decision was about. “He advised me we will conquer the world,” Lijnders advised her.

Simply 19 days after he left NEC, Lijnders’ appointment as Klopp’s assistant supervisor was introduced on June 5.

“Everyone knows there is a well-known saying: ‘You’ll be able to study extra from defeats than from fixed victory,'” Klopp says. “I am undecided it [Lijnders’ time at NEC] was an actual defeat, but it surely wasn’t effectively ready, I believe we will say that. We did not communicate quite a bit about it, it was not crucial. I used to be simply glad he got here again.”

A golden return

Over the subsequent few years, Klopp and Lijnders would obtain outstanding success collectively at Liverpool. The crowning second was the 2019 Champions League remaining win over Tottenham Hotspur, however that was simply one in every of quite a lot of trophies together with the 2019-20 Premier League title, 2022 FA Cup, 2019 Membership World Cup, and 2022 and 2024 League Cups.

Lijnders was there for all the important thing moments, each within the public eye and within the shadows as they plotted their success. He was translator on the decision when Klopp was attempting to steer Porto winger Luis Díaz to hitch the membership in January 2022, and remembers sitting in Klopp’s kitchen attempting to work out the way to persuade centre-back Virgil van Dijk to signal from Southampton in January 2018.

However by all the enjoyment and setbacks, the job took its toll. And earlier than the 2023-24 season started, Klopp and Lijnders began to plan for the ending level.

“It was occurring within the [2023] summer season, [with] a really tough 12 months behind us,” Lijnders says of a marketing campaign the place the membership completed fifth and had been knocked out of the Champions League within the spherical of 16. “We had been blissful we received the final eight, 9 video games of the season, we nonetheless went to Europe. We modified the system; Trent went extra inside [to play as a midfielder].

“In the summertime we already mentioned if it was the fitting time to go, or if it was the fitting time to proceed. We stated ‘sure, we’ll do another 12 months and we’ll see in January.’ However by November-time, Jürgen stated: ‘I am achieved.’ And I stated, ‘Sure if that is the case, it is time for me to go too.’ I’ve had a number of, good gives in recent times, however I wished to complete the challenge with him. My connection could be very robust with him: he is a brother, a father, a mentor. Outdoors of my household and closest buddies, he is aware of me higher than anybody.”

On Could 19, 2024, Klopp took cost of Liverpool for the ultimate time as they beat Wolves 2-0. After being out on the pitch, soaking within the unfiltered adulation, posing for numerous pictures, he discovered himself again within the bowels of Anfield and there was a uncommon second of quiet.

“We would had Louise Dobson, the staff supervisor, telling us the place to go and when, and we had been so touched [by the celebrations],” he says. “In the long run, it was solely Pep and me. We had tears in our eyes. We knew we had been blessed as effectively as a result of in our enterprise, you are available in by the entrance door and so they push you out the again door. We had been blessed and we may exit by the entrance door. We wrote a ebook collectively and that was the final chapter. And we loved that as a lot [as we could] as a result of you recognize it is not without end. That is life.”

After an evening partying, and, in accordance with Klopp, the Lijnders household dominating the dance ground, consideration turned to the long run. Lijnders had already been fielding curiosity from golf equipment eager to speak to him about forthcoming vacancies, and he knew it was time for his household to expertise one thing new.

“You may have 10 years in Liverpool, in Formby, a small village, you’ve every part there, proper?” he says. “So my boys know nothing aside from England, Liverpool and the membership. They assume each stadium is like Anfield.”

Lijnders solely spoke to golf equipment who would go to him in individual in Formby, and every time he’d search for sure ensures. But it surely was Austrian Bundesliga facet FC Salzburg that seduced him. The staff had endured a tricky 2023-24 marketing campaign, which noticed then-manager Gerhard Struber sacked in April, and received the common season however completed second within the Championship Spherical to Sturm Graz to finish their first trophyless season in a decade.

After a go to to Salzburg to go to the membership in individual, Lijnders’ spouse Danielle turned to their youngest son, Romijn, and requested: “What do you consider Salzburg?” Romijn answered: “I miss it already.”

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New beginnings

On Aug. 13, 2024, Salzburg beat FC Twente 5-4 on mixture to qualify for the Champions League group stage. “We need to be the staff that may beat anyone on the planet,” Lijnders says. “Are we there but? No, after all not … we have solely began. However I need the followers to assume, “okay, that is the brand new Salzburg.””

Together with his counter-pressing philosophy deeply ingrained, Lijnders additionally desires his Salzburg to suffocate the opposition. “You’ll be able to play a dominant fashion of soccer, the place you’ll be able to have the ball within the opponent’s half quite a bit,” he provides. “We’re younger, we’re proficient, we’re filled with bravado. We do not need the opponent to have any time. There may be a lot expertise right here, a lot power, a lot youth. “We’ve got a smaller squad, 16 or 17 gamers, and that offers us area for the academy.”

With a slogan of “Fußball von morgen” [Football from tomorrow] and a historical past of world-class gamers like Erling Haaland, Sadio Mané, Dominik Szoboszlai, Benjamin Sesko and Dayot Upamecano having come by the ranks, the membership’s focus could be very a lot on youth; the oldest gamers within the squad are goalkeepers Janis Blaswich (33) and Alexander Schlager (28), whereas the oldest outfield gamers are 25.

Since Lijnders joined, Salzburg have already raided his previous membership to signal midfielders Stefan Bajcetic and Bobby Clark on mortgage, whereas the brand new supervisor additionally introduced coaches Vitor Matos and Andreas Kornmayer with him.

The loopy guys from Salzburg ❤️ pic.twitter.com/DrsXmSKwJ8

— FC Pink Bull Salzburg (@RedBullSalzburg) August 27, 2024

The previous Liverpool coaches nonetheless have their WhatsApp group open; it is known as the “Diamond Canine,” impressed by Apple TV present Ted Lasso. When Salzburg play, the chat is as energetic as ever, with Klopp protecting an in depth eye on how Lijnders is faring.

“Everyone with a little bit of a soccer eye can see his influence,” Klopp says. “I really like this good mixture of actual depth, a transparent thought and possession. I advised him after a recreation not too long ago, you’ll be able to see this staff has a superb coach. That is how I choose coaches my entire life — you watch the video games, and you then surprise who coaches them. They play effectively. I believe it is a win-win state of affairs for him at Salzburg. It is so good from him, and it is so good from Salzburg.”

Salzburg’s league season began with 4 wins, a draw and a defeat, but it surely has additionally seen damaging losses to Sparta Prague (3-0) and Brest (4-0) within the Champions League. He acquired some criticism for fielding groups towards Sparta and Austria Wien with none Austrian gamers within the lineup, however Lijnders is aware of there can be occasions when type slumps and strain will increase. He’ll persist with his ideas which have served him effectively thus far.

“It is darkish and lonely when you do not win, and while you get into such a interval, it may be darkish, lonely and uncomfortable,” he says. “However while you’re coaching on the sphere, serving to gamers enhance, I’ll by no means get bored with that. In these moments you must maintain on to what makes you, as a participant, and a coach.

“Each coach will undergo powerful intervals, however there’s nothing mistaken with that. I do know I play with excessive threat, but additionally excessive reward. That is who I’m. There are two matches in soccer. There’s the match on the scoreboard, and the second match is your id. You’ll be able to lose one, however you may by no means lose the second match.

“I hope you may see Salzburg urgent and chasing the opponent throughout the complete pitch, and from all instructions. However above all, they’re doing it collectively, without end.”

Extra reporting: Sanne van Dongen and Milan van Dongen