.Tom Hamilton, Senior Citizen WriterOct 2, 2024, 05:30 AM ETClose u2022 Participated in ESPN in 2011 u2022 Covered two Olympics, a set of Rugby World Cups and also pair of British & Irish Lions excursions u2022 Earlier rugby editor, and came to be senior writer in 2018The wall surfaces of Pep Lijnders' garage in his brand new Salzburg home are still bare.The unpacked boxes on the flooring have moments of his trip from coaching pupil at PSV to ending up being Ju00fcrgen Klopp's "equal companion" at Liverpool, as Klopp calls it. There are actually framed pictures, tee shirts and also match balls coming from the a number of finals he helped the crew reach.But there is actually another memento he cherishes most importantly as it sums up what he is actually zealous about creating young people, and viewing them grow on soccer's most significant phase. Next to one of the fit rounds from the 2019 Champions League final is actually a photo from the festivities after Liverpool's conquest. It is actually an image of Lijnders with Trent Alexander-Arnold on his spine. Alexander-Arnold bordered it and gave it to him when Lijnders left Liverpool along with Klopp in May. The inscription reads through: "This is my preferred photo people, also. Thanks for completely every thing. Without you, none of it was actually feasible. Trent." Lijnders has received webpages and also pages of instruction treatments going back two decades. His experience started in 2002 as youth instructor at PSV, in 2006 he moved to FC Porto, then in 2014 he resolved the Liverpool places to end up being a coach under Brendan Rodgers and also Klopp, just before he determined to try out his own throughout a chastening incantation as NEC Nijmegen manager in 2018. He returned to Liverpool 6 months eventually along with great results and, as Klopp told ESPN NL in August, Lijnders was actually the German's footballing "ideas for the last nine years." Publisher's Picks2 RelatedLijnders is now embarking on another quest at FC Salzburg, intending to carry effects like Johan Cruyff, the father of Dutch "Complete Football," Italian ideal as well as air conditioner Milan legend Arrigo Sacchi, and ex-Feyenoord manager Wiel Coerver while instilling his own viewpoint as a "counter-pressing monster," as Klopp puts it. But this isn't Liverpool 2.0, and he's certainly not staying under Klopp's wing.The road coming from assistant under a popular manager to supervisor in your personal right is a well-trodden one. There are success tales: Mikel Arteta left behind Pep Guardiola's conservation in 2019 for the Toolbox work and has carried out very effectively in a brief area of your time Josu00e9 Mourinho was actually assistant to Bobby Robson at Barcelona just before breaking out on his own to turn into one of the absolute most prosperous managers of perpetuity new Chelsea supervisor Enzo Maresca functioned under Guardiola while the fantastic Joe Fagan took what he profited from fabulous duo Expense Shankly and also Bob Paisley to steer Liverpool to silverware in the 1980s. However after that there are the sign of things to come as well: In 1998, Brian Kidd's tenure at Blackburn lasted 11 months after seven trophy-laden years at Manchester United with Alex Ferguson John Sculptor thrived under Robson and Alan Pardew at Newcastle yet flopped when he commanded as sitter in 2015. Therefore, it is actually with that said record of changability that Lijnders is going it alone at Salzburg. He desires his staff to become recognized for his master plan of footballing "strength." But he will not be actually provided very long a moratorium. His staff have created an assessed start-- succeeding eight from 14 video games, yet losing 4-0 to Brest in the Champions League on Tuesday-- and while it's a group renowned for youth development, the fans expect results provided final season was their very first without flatware for a decade." We are actually making an effort to make a staff that can trump any person in world football," Lijnders told ESPN NL in August. "Are our team there however? No, not. But our experts're on program." From Cruyff to KloppPep Lijnders assisted Jurgen Klopp build one of the most effective Liverpool staffs in the record of the nightclub. ( Photograph by John Powell/Liverpool FC through Getty Images) Lijnders' playing occupation as a quarrelsome midfielder for nearby amateur club SVEB on the Dutch-German boundary was stopped at 17 years of ages because of an ACL personal injury. He went to the Central Principle for Athletics Forerunner Training (CIOS) to research and also started working at PSV Eindhoven, receiving the only mentoring instruction on offer to students on the training program. As he juggled his studies and also his project at PSV, he additionally organized SVEB's reserves, where he initially made an effort to implement his viewpoint: a mix of "Total Football" (a fluid soccer device promoting positional interchangeability promoted by Cruyff) and also unrelenting counter-pressing." I had the emotion gamers revitalized when I trained, which offers you self-confidence," he says.The apprenticeship along with PSV was meant to be a five-year project, yet he was rewarded a full time deal after 3 years, and devoted the following pair of years flitting between the United States and the Netherlands along with fellow trainer Frans Hoek while building talents like Cody Gakpo and also Jordan Teze. He picked up from the legendary Guus Hiddink when he was PSV instructor coming from 2002 to 2006 and also says to ESPN: "Guus gave colour to Dutch regulation football in the method Ju00fcrgen gave colour to German soccer." In 2007, aged 24, Lijnders possessed enthusiasm coming from MTK Budapest, however took up an arrangement at FC Porto where he held on Vitor Frade's every term. Frade-- appreciated through Mourinho, Andru00e9 Villas-Boas, Robson and also many others-- was actually an university professor who was also assistant manager at Porto as well as the father of planned periodisation (basically utilizing training as a looking glass for suit intensity as well as rhythm, as opposed to a segregated exercise). Lijnders remembers their tactical innovations at that time and breaks into a broad smile, referencing an aerial photo he possesses of one Carbon monoxide Adriaanse's setup where he set up solely wingers on the flanks as well as no full-backs. Back then it blew his mind.In Portugal, Lijnders functioned to spearhead Porto's "Job 611," a sunshade phrase for the nightclub's strategy to re-think the academy's partnership with the first string. "I trained all the groups-- U19 in the early morning, U15 in the afternoon, and U12 and U11 in the evening," he states. "In some cases I 'd have 40 gamers, yet I really did not communicate a term of Portuguese." In spite of that barrier, Porto grew. The club brought with skills like Jou00e3o Fu00e9lix, Andru00e9 Gomes, Andru00e9 Silva, Fabio Vieira and also Diogo Dalot. There was additionally midfielder Ru00faben Neves, a gamer who captained Lijnders' youth groups at Porto, functioned as explainer, and also an individual that Lijnders composed that he "likes to bits" in his 2022 publication "Strength."" That's why I adore football a lot," Lijnders says. "The connection you create along with the players. If that connection isn't there certainly, there is actually no other way to results." He was appeared out through Rene Meulensteen in very early 2013 as a feasible add-on to Ferguson's backroom workers at Man United, however that broke down when Ferguson retired in the end of that time. As well as by mid-2014, Lijnders awaited a new problem. While studying for his UEFA training symbols under the assistance of the Welsh FA, Lijnders had actually secured a young people train job at Liverpool project, so the nightclub sent out U23 manager Michael Beale as well as institute supervisor Alex Inglethorpe to listen to some of his discussions. It got the job done: "Michael claimed to me, 'Pepijn, you're not soaring back to Porto, you are actually including me to Liverpool.'" Some Of Pep Lijnders' most important abilities was nurturing and determining institute skill just before providing an odds to increase with the positions. ( Picture by Cees vehicle Hoogdalem/Soccrates/Getty Images) Lijnders flew to Liverpool that night, was installed in a hotels and resort, and for three times they talked. It found yourself along with Liverpool delivering Lijnders an arrangement to take charge of the U16 as well as U15s: a team that included Rhian Brewster, Ben Woodburn, Caoimhu00edn Kelleher, Curtis Jones, and, especially, leader Alexander-Arnold. That summer Lijnders was actually marketed to a project along with the first string under Rodgers, yet when the Northern Irishman was sacked on Oct. 4, 2005, Mike Gordon (president of the group's managers Fenway Athletics Group) asked Lijnders to maintain Liverpool's training ground Melwood ticking over while they worked at Klopp. Obviously, when the German took over there were actually no guarantees he was actually mosting likely to maintain Lijnders. Numerous of Rodgers' team had left behind currently, but Gordon asked the new manager to go on a couple of trains from the previous regimen. Klopp still possessed last word, yet was open to the idea.The initially was actually John Achtenberg. "Great, due to the fact that I didn't have a goalkeeping train," Klopp always remembers saying to Gordon. He inquired his new supervisor: "What carries out the various other fella do?" Gordon mentioned Lijnders was actually a "technical coach" a specialist in tiding over between youth and first team." In Germany, nobody pays for a coach like that," Klopp says to ESPN. "They 'd point out, 'You really want a 2nd assistant for what? What are you carrying out?' Thus, I liked the suggestion a whole lot." It was a luxury to Klopp, but he still failed to recognize a lot about this younger Dutch instructor. So on his opening night at the club, the new-look Liverpool administration got to know for dinner in the Hope Road Hotel. Klopp had his depended on staff Zeljko Buvac as well as Peter Krawietz certainly there along with him, but he desired to get to know the brand new faces. Achtenberg sat away of him Lijnders to the other. "It was more or less really love at first sight," Klopp mentions of Lijnders. "I found his passion for every thing." Klopp also found how much Lijnders respected him. "I don't find myself as a phenomenal train," he mentions. "I understand some folks for one reason or another presume that, as well as you could view it in Pep's eyes. You could possibly find him assume, 'I much better pay attention.' That is actually how it started. By the end, we were actually equal partners." play1:40 Michallik: Slot making Liverpool's post-Klopp shift painlessJanusz Michallik says the most significant compliment you can spend Arne Slot is actually that he's stopped experts talking about lifestyle after Jurgen Klopp.Blossoming at AnfieldLijnders' 1st part under Klopp was as best growth trainer. He enjoys flipcharts and also each element of his planned eyesight was actually documented on these substantial papers. Klopp don't forgets those early meetings, as well as how whenever he 'd talk, he 'd hear Lijnders' pen jotting away, noting down whatever he said.At this phase, Klopp called Buvac the "brain" as well as Krawietz the "eye." Talking in 2017 to LFC TV, Klopp said: "Pep has actually ended up being extremely crucial quickly due to the fact that he writes every little thing down. He is actually likewise portion of 'the brain' because he is our mind to remember things what our experts did in previous treatments ... I got the Dutch trainer who was actually opposed to ownership! Dutch regulation football is actually possession-based: it is actually Total Football, Cruyff. Yet he was a counter-pressing creature. I loved his enthusiasm and also the method he leaves the seat when he discusses regulation football." One of his greatest payments during that very first time period at Liverpool can be found in pushing Klopp to give a few of the academy players a chance in the first team, with Alexander-Arnold among the first marketed in 2016 at the age of 18." I can write a book regarding the minute he first informed me regarding Trent Alexander-Arnold," Klopp tells ESPN. "Our company opened the door Trent managed right through it. His right feet is actually foolish. The Trent highlights video recording is ridiculous. You do not require the goals, it is actually the successfully pases, you enjoy the passes and also assume 'How is actually that achievable?' It is actually a fully various sport." Lijnders likewise had a big effect in bridging the gap in between first string and institute. "I picked up from him," Klopp includes. "He opened my thoughts for various things in football. As all of us grow older, the distance between you and also the grow older of the player team gets bigger. My pair of boys maintained me in touch with that said generation, however certainly, the next generation of first-rate coaches are currently around. There is actually consistently transform, growth as well as renovation. Pep opened my eyes for those sort of things.Pep Lijnders had a brief stint at Dutch edge NEC Nijmegen just before returning Liverpool in 2018. ( Picture by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC by means of Getty Images) Under Klopp, Lijnders said more obligation: preparing training and also the timetable around suits. Off the pitch, both on a regular basis played padel and became very near friends.Liverpool ended up 4th in 2016-17 but, midway via the observing initiative, Lijnders was being actually seemed out about a head-coach position of his very own back in the Netherlands. Interested to come back to his home to be with his daddy as he combated cancer, the 34-year-old determined to take the best work at then-second department side NEC Nijmegen on Jan. 2, 2018. His goal was actually to safeguard advertising back to the Eredivisie, yet it proved to become an unlucky incantation and also they dropped in the playoffs to FC Emmen. After over five months in the duty, he left by shared arrangement on Might 17." I have always taken full responsibility and never ever mentioned a poor word concerning NEC," Lijnders says. "It is actually a lovely club, however in some cases the timing is wrong. In some cases there is no hit, or occasionally you participate in a nightclub where you need to have perseverance. Yet I take responsibility. I don't desire to point out a lot of concerning it, since every thing I point out might come upon inappropriate. I learnt a great deal to take in to my next work." Back at Anfield, Buvac had actually moved on in April as well as Klopp was actually trying to find a brand new aide. Of course, he desired Lijnders back.One day, Lijnders remained in the yard with his wife Danielle and mama when his phone sounded. It was actually Klopp, as well as Danielle asked what decision was about. "He told me we're going to overcome the globe," Lijnders told her.Just 19 times after he left behind NEC, Lijnders' appointment as Klopp's assistant manager was actually introduced on June 5." All of us recognize there is actually a well-known saying: 'You can find out more from defeats than coming from continuous success,'" Klopp points out. "I'm unsure it [Lijnders' time at NEC] was a real loss, however it wasn't properly prepared, I believe we may mention that. Our experts failed to speak a whole lot concerning it, it was actually not essential. I was actually merely happy he came back." A gold returnPep Lijnders and also Jurgen Klopp present with the FA Cup as well as the Carabao Cup trophy during the course of the Liverpool parade on Might 29, 2022. ( Picture through Jan Kruger/Getty Pictures) Over the next handful of years, Klopp and Lijnders would obtain outstanding results together at Liverpool. The glorious moment was actually the 2019 Champions Organization final sway Tottenham Hotspur, however that was merely one of an amount of prizes featuring the 2019-20 Premier Organization headline, 2022 FA Cup, 2019 Group Globe Cup, and 2022 as well as 2024 League Cups.Lijnders was there for all the crucial instants, both in the public eye as well as in the shades as they plotted their excellence. He was actually translator on decision when Klopp was making an effort to persuade Porto winger Luis Du00edaz to join the group in January 2022, and always remembers being in Klopp's kitchen trying to work out how to urge centre-back Virgil van Dijk to sign from Southampton in January 2018. Yet through all the joy and obstacles, the task took its cost. And before the 2023-24 time began, Klopp and Lijnders began to plan for the finishing factor." It was actually occurring in the [2023] summertime, [with] a very hard year behind us," Lijnders states of a project where the club ended up 5th and were actually knocked senseless of the Champions Game in the sphere of 16. "We enjoyed we gained the last 8, 9 games of the time, we still went to Europe. We changed the device Trent went extra inside [to play as a midfielder]" In the summer our company actually covered if it was actually the correct time to go, or even if it was actually the correct time to carry on. Our company pointed out 'yes, our experts'll perform one more year and also our team'll observe in January.' However through November-time, Ju00fcrgen pointed out: 'I am actually done.' As well as I claimed, 'Yes if that holds true, it's opportunity for me to go also.' I've had many, pleasant offers lately, however I desired to end up the job along with him. My relationship is quite strong with him: he's a sibling, a father, a coach. Away from my family members and closest close friends, he understands me better than anyone." On May 19, 2024, Klopp organized Liverpool for the final opportunity as they beat Wolves 2-0. After being actually out on the sound, soaking in the unfiltered adulation, presenting for a great number of photographs, he found themself back in the innards of Anfield and there was actually an unusual second of silent." Our company will had Louise Dobson, the crew supervisor, informing our company where to go as well as when, and our experts were actually thus touched [due to the parties]," he mentions. "Eventually, it was actually only Pep and me. Our company possessed tears in our eyes. We knew our team were honored too considering that in our business, you come in through the front door as well as they push you out the back entrance. We were honored and also we can walk out via the main door. Our experts composed a book with each other which was the last phase. And also our experts delighted in that as much [as we might] due to the fact that you recognize it's certainly not forever. That is actually life." After a night partying, and, according to Klopp, the Lijnders household dominating the dance floor, attention turned to the future. Lijnders had actually been picking up rate of interest from nightclubs keen to consult with him about honest openings, and he recognized it was actually time for his household to experience one thing brand-new." You have one decade in Liverpool, in Formby, a little village, you possess every little thing there certainly, right?" he says. "So my young boys recognize nothing at all apart from England, Liverpool as well as the club. They assume every stadium resembles Anfield." Lijnders merely spoke to nightclubs that will explore him personally in Formby, as well as each time he will look for certain warranties. Yet it was Austrian Bundesliga side FC Salzburg that seduced him. The team had sustained a challenging 2023-24 campaign, which found then-manager Gerhard Struber sacked in April, and also succeeded the frequent time yet completed second in the Champion Cycle to Sturm Graz to end their first trophyless time in a decade.After a check out to Salzburg to check out the club in person, Lijnders' other half Danielle relied on their youngest child, Romijn, and also asked: "What perform you consider Salzburg?" Romijn addressed: "I skip it presently." play1:34 Michallik: Arne Slot has made Luis Du00edaz a far better playerESPN FC's Mark Donaldson as well as Janusz Michallik talk about how Liverpool supervisor Arne Port is actually acquiring the greatest away from his team, in particular Luis Du00edaz, observing their 3-0 draw Bournemouth.New beginningsOn Aug. thirteen, 2024, Salzburg defeated FC Twente 5-4 on aggregate to receive the Champions Category team stage. "Our team desire to be actually the staff that may trump any person in the world," Lijnders mentions. "Are we there certainly however? No, naturally certainly not ... our experts've merely started. However I want the enthusiasts to think, "all right, this is actually the brand new Salzburg."" Along with his counter-pressing theory profoundly embedded, Lijnders likewise wishes his Salzburg to suffocate the adversary. "You can easily participate in a dominant style of football, where you may have the reception in the opponent's half a whole lot," he adds. "Our experts are actually younger, our company excel, our team has plenty of blowing. Our company don't yearn for the rival to possess at any time. There is actually so much ability listed below, so much electricity, so much young people. "Our team have a much smaller team, 16 or even 17 players, and that offers us area for the academy." With a trademark of "Fuu00dfball von morgen" [Regulation football coming from tomorrow] and also a past history of world-class players like Erling Haaland, Sadio Manu00e9, Dominik Szoboszlai, Benjamin Sesko as well as Dayot Upamecano having happened with the rankings, the club's focus is quite on youth the oldest gamers in the team are actually goalkeepers Janis Blaswich (thirty three) and Alexander Schlager (28 ), while the oldest outfield gamers are actually 25. Considering that Lijnders joined, Salzburg have actually overruned his old nightclub to sign midfielders Stefan Bajcetic and also Bobby Clark on funding, while the new supervisor additionally delivered trainers Vitor Matos as well as Andreas Kornmayer with him.The wild people coming from Salzburg u2764 pic.twitter.com/DrsXmSKwJ8u2014 FC Reddish Bull Salzburg (@RedBullSalzburg) August 27, 2024 The aged Liverpool trainers still have their WhatsApp team open it's referred to as the "Precious stone Dogs," encouraged through Apple television program Ted Lasso. When Salzburg stage show, the conversation is actually as energetic as ever before, along with Klopp maintaining a close eye on exactly how Lijnders is actually getting on." Everybody along with a little a regulation football eye can observe his influence," Klopp mentions. "I enjoy this pleasant mix of real strength, a clear tip and also belongings. I informed him after an activity recently, you can find this staff has an excellent coach. That's exactly how I evaluate coaches my whole lifestyle-- you watch the video games, and after that you wonder who trains them. They play effectively. I presume it is actually a great deal for him at Salzburg. It's so smart from him, as well as it is actually so clever coming from Salzburg." Salzburg's league period started with 4 triumphes, a draw as well as a loss, yet it has likewise viewed destructive reductions to Sparta Prague (3-0) and also Brest (4-0) in the Champions Organization. He obtained some objection for fielding teams against Sparta as well as Austria Wien without any Austrian gamers in the lineup, however Lijnders knows there will definitely be opportunities when form plunges and stress boosts. He will definitely stick to his concepts which have offered him effectively so far." It's darker and also lonesome when you don't win, and when you enter such a time frame, it can be black, alone as well as uneasy," he says. "Yet when you're teaching on the area, assisting players strengthen, I will certainly never ever acquire exhausted of that. In those instants you must hang on to what creates you, as a gamer, and a trainer." Every instructor is going to undergo hard time periods, but there is actually nothing wrong with that said. I recognize I have fun with high threat, yet also higher incentive. That's who I am actually. There are 2 matches in soccer. There's the fit on the scoreboard, and the second suit is your identity. You can easily lose one, however you'll never lose the second fit." I wish you'll view Salzburg pressing and also chasing the rival around the whole sound, and coming from all paths. But most importantly, they are actually performing it together, for good." Extra coverage: Sanne truck Dongen and Milan van Dongen.