.Tom Hamilton, Elder WriterOct 2, 2024, 05:30 AM ETClose u2022 Joined ESPN in 2011 u2022 Covered two Olympics, a set of Rugby World Cups and pair of British & Irish Lions scenic tours u2022 Formerly rugby editor, as well as came to be elderly article writer in 2018The walls of Pep Lijnders' garage in his new Salzburg home are actually still bare.The unpacked packages on the floor include moments of his experience coming from mentoring pupil at PSV to becoming Ju00fcrgen Klopp's "identical companion" at Liverpool, as Klopp calls it. There are actually bordered photographes, tee shirts and match spheres coming from the a number of finals he helped the team reach.But there is another memento he values above all as it sums up what he is actually zealous about creating youth, and observing them develop on football's largest stage. Close to some of the match rounds from the 2019 Champions League final is a photo from the occasions after Liverpool's victory. It is a photograph of Lijnders along with Trent Alexander-Arnold on his spine. Alexander-Arnold bordered it as well as gave it to him when Lijnders left Liverpool together with Klopp in May. The caption reads: "This is my favorite picture of us, as well. Thanks for positively every thing. Without you, none of it was actually achievable. Trent." Lijnders has obtained pages and webpages of training sessions dating back 20 years. His trip started in 2002 as youth train at PSV, in 2006 he transferred to FC Porto, then in 2014 he resolved the Liverpool positions to come to be a coach under Brendan Rodgers and Klopp, just before he made a decision to try his very own in the course of a chastening incantation as NEC Nijmegen manager in 2018. He came back to Liverpool six months later on with great excellence as well as, as Klopp said to ESPN NL in August, Lijnders was actually the German's footballing "motivation for the final nine years." Editor's Picks2 RelatedLijnders is currently plunging into yet another experience at FC Salzburg, wanting to funnel impacts like Johan Cruyff, the father of Dutch "Overall Soccer," Italian ideal as well as a/c Milan legend Arrigo Sacchi, and also ex-Feyenoord manager Wiel Coerver while instilling his very own viewpoint as a "counter-pressing monster," as Klopp places it. However this isn't Liverpool 2.0, and he is actually certainly not staying under Klopp's wing.The course coming from associate under a prominent manager to manager in your own right is a well-trodden one. There are effectiveness stories: Mikel Arteta left behind Pep Guardiola's stewardship in 2019 for the Toolbox project and also has actually performed surprisingly effectively in a short space of your time Josu00e9 Mourinho was actually assistant to Bobby Robson at Barcelona before bursting out on his personal to become one of one of the most productive supervisors of all time brand new Chelsea supervisor Enzo Maresca worked under Guardiola while the excellent Joe Fagan took what he picked up from famous duo Expense Shankly and also Bob Paisley to steer Liverpool to silverware in the 1980s. But at that point there are the sign of things to come as well: In 1998, Brian Kidd's period at Blackburn lasted 11 months after 7 trophy-laden years at Manchester United with Mam Alex Ferguson John Sculptor flourished under Robson and also Alan Pardew at Newcastle however flopped when he commanded as carer in 2015. So, it's with that past of changability that Lijnders is going it alone at Salzburg. He wishes his staff to be understood for his plan of footballing "magnitude." Yet he will not be actually provided extremely long a grace period. His staff have helped make an evaluated begin-- succeeding 8 coming from 14 video games, however dropping 4-0 to Brest in the Champions League on Tuesday-- and while it's a team renowned for young people advancement, the enthusiasts count on effectiveness given final season was their very first without cutlery for a many years." We're trying to develop a staff that can easily beat anybody in globe soccer," Lijnders informed ESPN NL in August. "Are our company certainly there yet? No, not. Yet our experts get on training course." Coming From Cruyff to KloppPep Lijnders helped Jurgen Klopp create among the most effective Liverpool groups in the past history of the club. ( Picture through John Powell/Liverpool FC by means of Getty Images) Lijnders' having fun career as a quarrelsome midfielder for neighborhood amateur club SVEB on the Dutch-German border was halted at 17 years of ages due to an ACL accident. He visited the Central Principle for Sports Leader Training (CIOS) to study as well as started working at PSV Eindhoven, acquiring the only coaching instruction available to students on the training program. As he managed his studies and also his work at PSV, he additionally organized SVEB's reserves, where he initially attempted to implement his ideology: a mix of "Complete Soccer" (a fluid football body reassuring positional interchangeability promoted by Cruyff) and relentless counter-pressing." I had the emotion players revived when I coached, which gives you assurance," he says.The apprenticeship with PSV was actually suggested to be a five-year job, however he was actually rewarded a permanent deal after three years, and also invested the following two years sweeping in between the United States as well as the Netherlands along with fellow coach Frans Hoek while developing skills like Cody Gakpo as well as Jordan Teze. He picked up from the fabulous Guus Hiddink when he was actually PSV train from 2002 to 2006 and tells ESPN: "Guus provided colour to Dutch football in the technique Ju00fcrgen offered colour to German soccer." In 2007, aged 24, Lijnders possessed interest from MTK Budapest, however used up a deal at FC Porto where he hung on Vitor Frade's every term. Frade-- admired through Mourinho, Andru00e9 Villas-Boas, Robson and also many others-- was an university instructor that was likewise assistant supervisor at Porto and also the dad of tactical periodisation (basically using instruction as a looking glass for match strength as well as rhythm, rather than a separated exercise). Lijnders remembers their military advancements at that time and get into a vast smile, referencing an aerial photograph he possesses of one Co Adriaanse's configuration where he released solely wingers on the flanks and no full-backs. During the time it wasted his mind.In Portugal, Lijnders operated to spearhead Porto's "Venture 611," a sunshade phrase for the nightclub's program to re-think the institute's relationship along with the first string. "I taught all the groups-- U19 in the morning, U15 in the afternoon, and U12 as well as U11 in the evening," he states. "Often I would certainly possess 40 gamers, yet I didn't communicate a word of Portuguese." Regardless of that barricade, Porto grew. The nightclub taken through talents like Jou00e3o Fu00e9lix, Andru00e9 Gomes, Andru00e9 Silva, Fabio Vieira as well as Diogo Dalot. There was also midfielder Ru00faben Neves, a gamer that captained Lijnders' youth staffs at Porto, served as linguist, and somebody who Lijnders composed that he "really loves to bits" in his 2022 publication "Strength."" That's why I enjoy football a lot," Lijnders states. "The relationship you shape along with the players. If that bond isn't there certainly, there is actually no chance to results." He was actually sounded out through Rene Meulensteen in early 2013 as an achievable add-on to Ferguson's backroom personnel at Man United, yet that broke down when Ferguson resigned at the end of that season. And through mid-2014, Lijnders was ready for a new challenge. While studying for his UEFA mentoring badges under the guidance of the Welsh FA, Lijnders had actually made an application for a young people train vacancy at Liverpool job, so the club sent out U23 supervisor Michael Beale as well as institute supervisor Alex Inglethorpe to listen to some of his presentations. It did the job: "Michael stated to me, 'Pepijn, you're certainly not flying back to Porto, you're featuring me to Liverpool.'" Some Of Pep Lijnders' crucial capabilities was supporting and also pinpointing academy talent before giving them a possibility to rise with the ranks. ( Image through Cees van Hoogdalem/Soccrates/Getty Images) Lijnders soared to Liverpool that evening, was actually put up in a hotel, and also for 3 days they spoke. It found yourself with Liverpool delivering Lijnders an agreement to take charge of the U16 and also U15s: a group that featured Rhian Brewster, Ben Woodburn, Caoimhu00edn Kelleher, Curtis Jones, and, especially, captain Alexander-Arnold. That summer months Lijnders was promoted to a job with the first team under Rodgers, however when the Northern Irishman was sacked on Oct. 4, 2005, Mike Gordon (head of state of the group's proprietors Fenway Athletics Group) asked Lijnders to keep Liverpool's training school Melwood beating over while they pursued Klopp. Of course, when the German took over there were actually no assurances he was mosting likely to maintain Lijnders. Several of Rodgers' workers had actually left behind actually, but Gordon asked the brand-new manager to go on a couple of trains from the previous regimen. Klopp still possessed veto power, yet was open to the idea.The initially was John Achtenberg. "Excellent, since I didn't possess a goalkeeping train," Klopp keeps in mind telling Gordon. He inquired his new employer: "What does the other individual do?" Gordon mentioned Lijnders was a "technological coach" a pro in bridging the gap in between young people as well as first string." In Germany, no person spends for a train like that," Klopp tells ESPN. "They 'd mention, 'You desire a second aide wherefore? What are you performing?' Thus, I suched as the tip a whole lot." It was a luxurious to Klopp, however he still didn't recognize a lot concerning this young Dutch train. Therefore on his first night at the club, the new-look Liverpool monitoring encountered for dinner in the Chance Road Resort. Klopp had his depended on team Zeljko Buvac and also Peter Krawietz there along with him, but he wished to understand the brand new faces. Achtenberg sat to one side of him Lijnders to the various other. "It was more or less really love at first sight," Klopp says of Lijnders. "I saw his passion for every little thing." Klopp also found how much Lijnders valued him. "I do not view on my own as an outstanding train," he points out. "I recognize some folks for some reason believe that, and you could possibly observe it in Pep's eyes. You might see him assume, 'I much better pay attention.' That's exactly how it started. Due to the end, our company were actually equal partners." play1:40 Michallik: Port creating Liverpool's post-Klopp transition painlessJanusz Michallik states the greatest praise you can pay Arne Port is that he's stopped experts talking about life after Jurgen Klopp.Blossoming at AnfieldLijnders' very first duty under Klopp was actually as best progression trainer. He likes flipcharts and also each facet of his planned vision was documented on these vast notepads. Klopp keeps in mind those very early appointments, as well as just how whenever he will speak, he would certainly listen to Lijnders' pen scribbling away, noting down whatever he said.At this stage, Klopp contacted Buvac the "human brain" and also Krawietz the "eye." Speaking in 2017 to LFC TELEVISION, Klopp mentioned: "Pep has come to be amazingly important in a short time because he composes whatever down. He is also aspect of 'the mind' considering that he is our mind to consider the things what our company did in previous sessions ... I got the Dutch instructor that was actually opposed to belongings! Dutch regulation football is actually possession-based: it's Complete Regulation Football, Cruyff. But he was actually a counter-pressing beast. I liked his excitement and also the means he leaves the burdened when he discusses football." Some of his ultimate contributions because initial duration at Liverpool came in nudging Klopp to give several of the academy players a possibility in the first string, with Alexander-Arnold some of the first advertised in 2016 at the age of 18." I could write a book about the second he to begin with told me about Trent Alexander-Arnold," Klopp informs ESPN. "Our experts unlocked Trent ran right through it. His best feet is ludicrous. The Trent highlights video clip is actually absurd. You don't require the objectives, it is actually the elapseds, you enjoy the elapseds and also believe 'Just how is actually that feasible?' It is actually a completely different sport." Lijnders likewise had a huge impact in tiding over in between first team and institute. "I gained from him," Klopp adds. "He opened my thoughts for different things in soccer. As we all get older, the proximity in between you as well as the grow older of the player group grows. My 2 sons maintained me in contact keeping that production, yet naturally, the newest generation of unparalleled instructors are actually presently out there. There's always modify, development as well as improvement. Pep opened my eyes for those kinds of things.Pep Lijnders possessed a short assignment at Dutch edge NEC Nijmegen prior to returning Liverpool in 2018. ( Photograph by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC through Getty Images) Under Klopp, Lijnders took over even more accountability: planning training as well as the schedule around fits. Off the pitch, the two regularly played padel as well as became extremely close friends.Liverpool ended up 4th in 2016-17 but, midway with the following campaign, Lijnders was being actually seemed out regarding a head-coach placement of his very own back in the Netherlands. Eager to return to his home to be with his papa as he fought cancer cells, the 34-year-old made a decision to take the leading work at then-second department side NEC Nijmegen on Jan. 2, 2018. His goal was to safeguard advertising back to the Eredivisie, yet it verified to be an unfortunate incantation as well as they shed in the playoffs to FC Emmen. After over 5 months in the job, he left by common arrangement on Might 17." I have constantly taken complete task as well as never mentioned a negative term regarding NEC," Lijnders claims. "It is actually a gorgeous club, however often the time is not right. In some cases there is no hit, or even occasionally you participate in a club where you need to have persistence. However I take duty. I do not would like to mention way too much concerning it, given that every little thing I state might encounter inappropriate. I knew a great deal to take right into my following task." Back at Anfield, Buvac had moved on in April and also Klopp was searching for a brand new aide. Certainly, he yearned for Lijnders back.One day, Lijnders remained in the backyard along with his better half Danielle and also mother when his phone rang. It was Klopp, as well as Danielle inquired what decision had to do with. "He informed me our team are actually going to dominate the globe," Lijnders told her.Just 19 days after he left behind NEC, Lijnders' session as Klopp's assistant supervisor was declared on June 5." All of us know there's a widely known expression: 'You may find out more from defeats than from steady success,'" Klopp says. "I'm not sure it [Lijnders' time at NEC] was an actual loss, but it wasn't properly ready, I think our company can claim that. Our team really did not speak a lot regarding it, it was certainly not important. I was actually only grateful he went back." A golden returnPep Lijnders and Jurgen Klopp posture with the FA Mug and also the Carabao Cup trophy during the Liverpool march on Might 29, 2022. ( Image through Jan Kruger/Getty Graphics) Over the upcoming few years, Klopp as well as Lijnders would certainly attain impressive success together at Liverpool. The crowning second was actually the 2019 Champions Organization ultimate win over Tottenham Hotspur, but that was actually just one of an amount of prizes featuring the 2019-20 Premier Game title, 2022 FA Cup, 2019 Club World Cup, and also 2022 and 2024 League Cups.Lijnders sympathized all the key moments, both in the public eye and also in the shadows as they plotted their success. He was actually explainer on the call when Klopp was making an effort to persuade Porto winger Luis Du00edaz to join the club in January 2022, as well as always remembers partaking Klopp's kitchen space attempting to work out exactly how to urge centre-back Virgil vehicle Dijk to authorize coming from Southampton in January 2018. But by means of all the delight and misfortunes, the work took its cost. As well as before the 2023-24 period started, Klopp as well as Lijnders began to think about the finishing aspect." It was actually happening in the [2023] summer season, [along with] an incredibly tough year responsible for us," Lijnders says of an initiative where the club completed fifth as well as were actually knocked out of the Champions Game in the round of 16. "Our experts enjoyed our team gained the last eight, 9 games of the period, our experts still visited Europe. Our experts modified the device Trent went much more inside [to participate in as a midfielder]" In the summer season our team presently covered if it was the right time to go, or even if it was actually the correct time to carry on. We mentioned 'yes, our company'll carry out another year and our experts'll find in January.' Yet through November-time, Ju00fcrgen stated: 'I am actually carried out.' And I claimed, 'Yes if that holds true, it is actually opportunity for me to go too.' I've possessed several, pleasant offers in the last few years, but I wanted to end up the task along with him. My hookup is really tough along with him: he's a bro, a dad, a coach. Beyond my family members and also closest good friends, he understands me better than anybody." On May 19, 2024, Klopp took charge of Liverpool for the ultimate opportunity as they defeat Wolves 2-0. After being actually out on the pitch, soaking in the unfiltered adulation, presenting for many photos, he found himself back in the innards of Anfield as well as there was an unusual second of silent." We would certainly had Louise Dobson, the team manager, informing our company where to go as well as when, and our team were so touched [due to the festivities]," he claims. "Ultimately, it was actually simply Pep and me. Our experts possessed rips in our eyes. We understood our company were blessed as well given that in our company, you can be found in with the frontal door as well as they push you out the back entrance. Our experts were actually blessed and we can go out via the main door. Our team created a publication all together which was actually the final chapter. And our experts took pleasure in that as a lot [as our experts could possibly] due to the fact that you recognize it is actually certainly not forever. That's lifestyle." After an evening partying, as well as, according to Klopp, the Lijnders family members dominating the dance floor, interest looked to the future. Lijnders had actually already been picking up rate of interest from clubs keen to consult with him about forthcoming vacancies, and he understood it was time for his family members to experience one thing brand new." You possess one decade in Liverpool, in Formby, a small town, you have whatever there, right?" he says. "So my young boys know nothing at all besides England, Liverpool and the club. They think every arena is like Anfield." Lijnders simply spoke with clubs who would certainly see him in person in Formby, as well as each opportunity he would certainly search for particular assurances. Yet it was Austrian Bundesliga side FC Salzburg that seduced him. The team had endured a challenging 2023-24 project, which viewed then-manager Gerhard Struber sacked in April, and succeeded the normal period yet completed second in the Champion Round to Sturm Graz to finish their initial trophyless time in a decade.After a see to Salzburg to visit the club in person, Lijnders' spouse Danielle relied on their youngest boy, Romijn, and inquired: "What do you think about Salzburg?" Romijn addressed: "I overlook it already." play1:34 Michallik: Arne Slot has actually created Luis Du00edaz a far better playerESPN FC's Smudge Donaldson and Janusz Michallik explain how Liverpool supervisor Arne Port is actually obtaining the most ideal out of his team, especially Luis Du00edaz, observing their 3-0 win over Bournemouth.New beginningsOn Aug. thirteen, 2024, Salzburg beat FC Twente 5-4 on accumulation to qualify for the Champions Circle team phase. "Our team would like to be the staff that can easily beat any person around the world," Lijnders says. "Are our team certainly there but? No, of course certainly not ... we have actually just begun. Yet I desire the supporters to believe, "all right, this is the new Salzburg."" With his counter-pressing philosophy heavily deep-rooted, Lijnders also prefers his Salzburg to stifle the opposition. "You can play a dominant style of football, where you may have the reception in the enemy's half a great deal," he includes. "Our company are youthful, our company excel, we has plenty of blowing. Our company don't prefer the enemy to possess any time. There is so much ability listed here, so much electricity, a lot young people. "We possess a smaller sized squad, 16 or 17 players, and also gives us room for the institute." Along with a trademark of "Fuu00dfball von morgen" [Regulation football coming from tomorrow] and also a past history of unparalleled gamers like Erling Haaland, Sadio Manu00e9, Dominik Szoboszlai, Benjamin Sesko as well as Dayot Upamecano having happened through the ranks, the club's concentration is actually quite on youth the earliest players in the squad are actually goalkeepers Janis Blaswich (thirty three) and also Alexander Schlager (28 ), while the oldest outfield players are actually 25. Considering that Lijnders signed up with, Salzburg have actually already invaded his aged nightclub to authorize midfielders Stefan Bajcetic and also Bobby Clark on financing, while the new supervisor additionally took trainers Vitor Matos as well as Andreas Kornmayer with him.The crazy people from Salzburg u2764 pic.twitter.com/DrsXmSKwJ8u2014 FC Red Bull Salzburg (@RedBullSalzburg) August 27, 2024 The old Liverpool instructors still possess their WhatsApp team open it's knowned as the "Precious stone Canine," inspired through Apple TV show Ted Lasso. When Salzburg play, the conversation is actually as energetic as ever before, with Klopp keeping a shut eye on exactly how Lijnders is faring." Everyone with a little bit of a football eye can view his effect," Klopp claims. "I enjoy this nice mix of real magnitude, a clear suggestion as well as possession. I told him after a video game lately, you may find this crew possesses a great instructor. That's how I judge trains my entire life-- you view the video games, and after that you ponder that trainers all of them. They participate in well. I think it is actually a great deal for him at Salzburg. It is actually therefore clever coming from him, and also it's thus clever coming from Salzburg." Salzburg's organization season began along with four triumphes, a draw and a loss, but it has actually likewise observed harmful reductions to Sparta Prague (3-0) and also Brest (4-0) in the Champions League. He obtained some criticism for dealing with groups versus Sparta and Austria Wien without any Austrian gamers in the lineup, however Lijnders understands there are going to be opportunities when kind plunges and also stress boosts. He will stay with his guidelines which have served him well up until now." It is actually black and unhappy when you don't succeed, as well as when you get into such a time period, it may be black, alone as well as annoying," he claims. "Yet when you're educating on the field, helping players strengthen, I am going to never ever acquire exhausted of that. In those seconds you need to hang on to what creates you, as a player, and an instructor." Every coach will go through difficult periods, but there's nothing inappropriate keeping that. I recognize I have fun with higher danger, however likewise high reward. That's that I am actually. There are actually pair of fits in soccer. There's the suit on the scoreboard, and the 2nd fit is your identity. You can drop one, however you'll never ever lose the second suit." I hope you'll see Salzburg mashing and also going after the opponent across the whole entire sound, and also coming from all paths. Yet above all, they're doing it with each other, for good." Additional reporting: Sanne van Dongen and also Milan vehicle Dongen.