.Tom Hamilton, Senior WriterOct 2, 2024, 05:30 AM ETClose u2022 Joined ESPN in 2011 u2022 Covered 2 Olympics, a pair of Rugby Globe Cups as well as 2 British & Irish Lions trips u2022 Previously rugby publisher, and became senior writer in 2018The wall surfaces of Pep Lijnders' garage in his brand new Salzburg home are still bare.The unpacked cartons on the flooring contain minds of his trip from mentoring apprentice at PSV to coming to be Ju00fcrgen Klopp's "equal companion" at Liverpool, as Klopp phones it. There are actually bordered photographes, t shirts as well as match balls coming from the many finals he aided the crew reach.But there is actually one other memento he cherishes above all as it summarizes what he's zealous regarding establishing young people, as well as observing all of them develop on soccer's greatest phase. Next to among the match rounds from the 2019 Champions League ultimate is an image from the parties after Liverpool's conquest. It is a photo of Lijnders along with Trent Alexander-Arnold on his back. Alexander-Arnold bordered it as well as gave it to him when Lijnders quit Liverpool together with Klopp in May. The inscription reads: "This is my favorite image of us, also. Thank you for positively every little thing. Without you, none of it was feasible. Trent." Lijnders has received pages and also web pages of instruction treatments dating back 20 years. His experience began in 2002 as young people coach at PSV, in 2006 he transferred to FC Porto, after that in 2014 he worked through the Liverpool places to come to be an instructor under Brendan Rodgers as well as Klopp, just before he chose to try on his own during a chastening incantation as NEC Nijmegen supervisor in 2018. He came back to Liverpool 6 months later along with excellent effectiveness and also, as Klopp told ESPN NL in August, Lijnders was the German's footballing "motivation for the final 9 years." Publisher's Picks2 RelatedLijnders is actually right now starting another trip at FC Salzburg, hoping to carry effects like Johan Cruyff, the dad of Dutch "Overall Soccer," Italian speculative and also air conditioner Milan legend Arrigo Sacchi, and ex-Feyenoord supervisor Wiel Coerver while instilling his very own theory as a "counter-pressing beast," as Klopp puts it. Yet this isn't Liverpool 2.0, as well as he's certainly not staying under Klopp's wing.The path coming from associate under a famous boss to manager in your very own right is a well-trodden one. There are actually effectiveness accounts: Mikel Arteta left behind Pep Guardiola's conservation in 2019 for the Toolbox project and has actually carried out incredibly effectively in a quick room of your time Josu00e9 Mourinho was assistant to Bobby Robson at Barcelona before breaking out on his own to turn into one of the best productive supervisors of all time brand-new Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca operated under Guardiola while the excellent Joe Fagan took what he learned from epic duo Bill Shankly and also Bob Paisley to guide Liverpool to silverware in the 1980s. But at that point there are actually the sign of things to come as well: In 1998, Brian Kidd's period at Blackburn lasted 11 months after seven trophy-laden years at Manchester United along with Sir Alex Ferguson John Sculptor succeeded under Robson and also Alan Pardew at Newcastle yet bombed when he took charge as carer in 2015. Therefore, it's with that past of unpredictability that Lijnders is going it alone at Salzburg. He wishes his staff to be known for his blueprint of footballing "strength." Yet he will not be actually provided very long a grace period. His group have actually produced an assessed begin-- gaining 8 coming from 14 video games, however dropping 4-0 to Brest in the Champions League on Tuesday-- and while it's a group renowned for young people growth, the fans anticipate effectiveness provided final time was their 1st without cutlery for a decade." We're attempting to create a team that may defeat anyone in planet soccer," Lijnders told ESPN NL in August. "Are our team certainly there however? No, never. But our team perform program." Coming From Cruyff to KloppPep Lijnders assisted Jurgen Klopp construct some of the greatest Liverpool crews in the background of the nightclub. ( Photograph through John Powell/Liverpool FC through Getty Images) Lijnders' playing profession as a cussed midfielder for local amateur club SVEB on the Dutch-German border was cut short at 17 years old due to an ACL trauma. He mosted likely to the Central Institute for Athletics Leader Instruction (CIOS) to study and also started operating at PSV Eindhoven, getting the only mentoring apprenticeship on offer to students on the program. As he managed his studies and also his work at PSV, he additionally took charge of SVEB's gets, where he first made an effort to execute his approach: a mix of "Total Football" (a fluid soccer device reassuring positional interchangeability promoted through Cruyff) and also unrelenting counter-pressing." I possessed the emotion gamers revived when I trained, which gives you assurance," he says.The apprenticeship along with PSV was indicated to become a five-year task, however he was awarded a permanent deal after three years, and also invested the next pair of years sweeping between the United States and the Netherlands along with fellow instructor Frans Hoek while developing abilities like Cody Gakpo and also Jordan Teze. He learnt from the legendary Guus Hiddink when he was PSV train coming from 2002 to 2006 and tells ESPN: "Guus gave colour to Dutch regulation football in the way Ju00fcrgen offered colour to German football." In 2007, aged 24, Lijnders had interest from MTK Budapest, yet occupied a contract at FC Porto where he held on Vitor Frade's every word. Frade-- admired through Mourinho, Andru00e9 Villas-Boas, Robson and also countless others-- was actually an educational institution lecturer who was actually additionally assistant manager at Porto and the papa of military periodisation (basically using instruction as a looking glass for match strength and rhythm, as opposed to a segregated exercise). Lijnders remembers their tactical developments at that time and also burglarize a wide smile, referencing a flying photo he possesses of one Carbon monoxide Adriaanse's configuration where he deployed solely wingers on the flanks and no full-backs. At that time it blew his mind.In Portugal, Lijnders worked to spearhead Porto's "Venture 611," an umbrella condition for the nightclub's plan to re-think the academy's partnership along with the first string. "I taught all the groups-- U19 in the morning, U15 in the afternoon, and also U12 and U11 at night," he claims. "Often I will possess 40 players, but I really did not communicate a phrase of Portuguese." Despite that barricade, Porto prospered. The club taken with abilities like Jou00e3o Fu00e9lix, Andru00e9 Gomes, Andru00e9 Silva, Fabio Vieira and also Diogo Dalot. There was actually also midfielder Ru00faben Neves, a gamer that captained Lijnders' youth crews at Porto, acted as explainer, and a person who Lijnders wrote that he "adores to bits" in his 2022 manual "Magnitude."" That's why I love football a great deal," Lijnders claims. "The connection you create with the gamers. If that connection isn't certainly there, there is actually no other way to excellence." He was actually appeared out by Rene Meulensteen in very early 2013 as a possible enhancement to Ferguson's backroom staff at Guy United, but that broke down when Ferguson retired by the end of that season. As well as through mid-2014, Lijnders was ready for a brand-new obstacle. While analyzing for his UEFA training logos under the assistance of the Welsh FA, Lijnders had actually obtained a young people coach job at Liverpool job, so the nightclub delivered U23 supervisor Michael Beale and also school director Alex Inglethorpe to listen to among his presentations. It got the job done: "Michael pointed out to me, 'Pepijn, you're not flying back to Porto, you are actually featuring me to Liverpool.'" One of Pep Lijnders' essential skills was actually nurturing and identifying institute ability before giving them a possibility to increase via the ranks. ( Image through Cees vehicle Hoogdalem/Soccrates/Getty Pictures) Lijnders soared to Liverpool that evening, was installed in a resort, and also for three days they spoke. It wound up with Liverpool supplying Lijnders a contract to take charge of the U16 and U15s: a team that included Rhian Brewster, Ben Woodburn, Caoimhu00edn Kelleher, Curtis Jones, and also, especially, leader Alexander-Arnold. That summertime Lijnders was actually promoted to a project with the first string under Rodgers, yet when the Northern Irishman was actually sacked on Oct. 4, 2005, Mike Gordon (head of state of the club's managers Fenway Sports Group) inquired Lijnders to always keep Liverpool's training school Melwood beating over while they engaged in Klopp. Obviously, when the German managed there were actually no assurances he was visiting keep Lijnders. Several of Rodgers' staff had actually left currently, yet Gordon inquired the brand new manager to go on a number of trains from the previous regime. Klopp still had last word, however levelled to the idea.The to begin with was John Achtenberg. "Really good, because I didn't have a goalkeeping train," Klopp always remembers telling Gordon. He asked his brand new employer: "What performs the various other guy perform?" Gordon mentioned Lijnders was a "technological coach" a pro in bridging the gap between youth and also first team." In Germany, no one purchases a coach like that," Klopp tells ESPN. "They will claim, 'You want a 2nd assistant for what? What are you carrying out?' Thus, I suched as the concept a lot." It was a high-end to Klopp, yet he still failed to know much concerning this youthful Dutch instructor. So on his opening night at the nightclub, the new-look Liverpool management got to know for dinner in the Chance Road Hotels And Resort. Klopp had his counted on personnel Zeljko Buvac and also Peter Krawietz certainly there along with him, but he desired to learn more about the brand new faces. Achtenberg rested to one side of him Lijnders to the various other. "It was actually essentially adore at first sight," Klopp claims of Lijnders. "I saw his passion for every little thing." Klopp also viewed the amount of Lijnders appreciated him. "I do not see myself as a phenomenal instructor," he claims. "I know some folks by chance assume that, as well as you could possibly observe it in Pep's eyes. You might observe him assume, 'I much better listen.' That's exactly how it began. By the end, our team were actually identical partners." play1:40 Michallik: Port creating Liverpool's post-Klopp shift painlessJanusz Michallik says the most significant favor you may spend Arne Port is actually that he's stopped experts discussing life after Jurgen Klopp.Blossoming at AnfieldLijnders' first duty under Klopp was actually as elite growth trainer. He really loves flipcharts and each aspect of his military sight was actually written down on these large papers. Klopp keeps in mind those early conferences, as well as exactly how whenever he 'd speak, he would certainly listen to Lijnders' pen jotting away, taking down everything he said.At this stage, Klopp called Buvac the "brain" and Krawietz the "eye." Speaking in 2017 to LFC TELEVISION, Klopp claimed: "Pep has actually become incredibly important in a short time considering that he creates every thing down. He is likewise portion of 'the mind' since he is our thoughts to remember the many things what our experts carried out in previous treatments ... I received the Dutch trainer that was actually opposed to belongings! Dutch regulation football is possession-based: it is actually Overall Football, Cruyff. But he was actually a counter-pressing creature. I enjoyed his enthusiasm and also the means he gets out of the burdened when he speaks about football." One of his greatest contributions in that first time period at Liverpool came in poking Klopp to give a few of the institute gamers an opportunity in the first string, along with Alexander-Arnold one of the 1st advertised in 2016 at the age of 18." I could create a manual regarding the instant he to begin with told me regarding Trent Alexander-Arnold," Klopp informs ESPN. "We unlocked Trent ran throughout it. His appropriate foot is actually absurd. The Trent highlights video clip is actually preposterous. You do not need to have the objectives, it's the elapseds, you watch the elapseds and also assume 'Just how is that possible?' It's an entirely different sport." Lijnders additionally had a big impact in tiding over between first string as well as institute. "I profited from him," Klopp incorporates. "He opened my thoughts for different points in football. As all of us grow older, the range between you and also the age of the player team grows. My 2 sons maintained me in touch keeping that production, however certainly, the next generation of world-class instructors are actually already out there. There is actually constantly modify, growth and renovation. Pep opened my eyes for those sort of things.Pep Lijnders possessed a brief assignment at Dutch edge NEC Nijmegen just before rejoining Liverpool in 2018. ( Photograph by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) Under Klopp, Lijnders said much more obligation: planning training as well as the timetable around matches. Off the sound, the two regularly participated in padel as well as came to be unbelievably near friends.Liverpool finished fourth in 2016-17 but, midway with the observing project, Lijnders was actually being actually seemed out concerning a head-coach position of his personal back in the Netherlands. Eager to come back to his birthplace to become along with his dad as he battled cancer, the 34-year-old made a decision to take the leading task at then-second division side NEC Nijmegen on Jan. 2, 2018. His objective was actually to protect advertising back to the Eredivisie, yet it verified to become an unlucky spell as well as they shed in the playoffs to FC Emmen. After over five months in the role, he left behind by shared arrangement on May 17." I have actually regularly taken complete accountability and also never mentioned a negative word about NEC," Lijnders says. "It's an attractive club, but at times the time is actually not right. Sometimes there is actually no click on, or often you participate in a club where you need to have patience. But I take obligation. I do not desire to point out a lot of about it, given that every little thing I claim can find inappropriate. I knew a lot to take in to my next project." Back at Anfield, Buvac had carried on in April and also Klopp was actually seeking a brand new assistant. Of course, he wished Lijnders back.One day, Lijnders was in the landscape along with his spouse Danielle and mom when his phone rang. It was Klopp, and also Danielle inquired what the call concerned. "He told me our company're heading to control the planet," Lijnders told her.Just 19 days after he left behind NEC, Lijnders' consultation as Klopp's assistant supervisor was actually introduced on June 5." Most of us recognize there's a famous expression: 'You can easily find out more coming from beats than from consistent success,'" Klopp points out. "I'm not sure it [Lijnders' time at NEC] was a genuine loss, however it wasn't effectively equipped, I believe our company can easily mention that. Our experts failed to communicate a great deal concerning it, it was actually not required. I was only glad he came back." A golden returnPep Lijnders and Jurgen Klopp position with the FA Cup as well as the Carabao Mug prize in the course of the Liverpool procession on Might 29, 2022. ( Picture through Jan Kruger/Getty Photos) Over the upcoming handful of years, Klopp and Lijnders will accomplish remarkable effectiveness with each other at Liverpool. The glorious second was the 2019 Champions Organization last draw Tottenham Hotspur, but that was actually merely one of a number of trophies consisting of the 2019-20 Premier League label, 2022 FA Mug, 2019 Club Planet Mug, as well as 2022 and also 2024 Game Cups.Lijnders sympathized all the essential minutes, both well-known as well as in the shadows as they sketched their excellence. He was explainer on the call when Klopp was actually attempting to encourage Porto winger Luis Du00edaz to sign up with the club in January 2022, and also always remembers sitting in Klopp's kitchen space making an effort to work out just how to convince centre-back Virgil vehicle Dijk to authorize coming from Southampton in January 2018. Yet through all the delight and drawbacks, the job took its cost. And also just before the 2023-24 season began, Klopp and also Lijnders began to think about the finishing aspect." It was taking place in the [2023] summer season, [with] an incredibly challenging year responsible for our team," Lijnders claims of a campaign where the club ended up fifth and were actually knocked senseless of the Champions Organization in the round of 16. "Our experts were happy our experts won the last eight, 9 activities of the season, we still went to Europe. Our experts changed the device Trent went extra inside [to play as a midfielder]" In the summer season our team presently explained if it was actually the right time to go, or if it was the right time to proceed. Our company stated 'yes, our company'll perform another year as well as we'll view in January.' However by November-time, Ju00fcrgen pointed out: 'I am actually performed.' As well as I stated, 'Yes if that holds true, it is actually time for me to go too.' I have actually possessed many, pleasant offers recently, but I wished to complete the project with him. My relationship is actually quite sturdy along with him: he's a bro, a daddy, an advisor. Beyond my family as well as closest close friends, he recognizes me better than any person." On Might 19, 2024, Klopp took charge of Liverpool for the final opportunity as they beat Wolves 2-0. After being out on the sound, taking in the unfiltered adulation, presenting for countless photos, he located themself back in the insides of Anfield as well as there was a rare minute of peaceful." Our experts will had Louise Dobson, the staff supervisor, telling us where to go as well as when, and our company were actually therefore touched [due to the celebrations]," he says. "Ultimately, it was actually only Pep and also me. We possessed tears in our eyes. We understood we were actually honored also given that in our company, you are available in through the main door as well as they push you out the back entrance. Our experts were actually blessed as well as our company can go out by means of the front door. Our experts wrote a publication with each other and that was actually the last section. And our company took pleasure in that as much [as our experts could possibly] due to the fact that you recognize it's not for life. That's life." After an evening partying, and also, according to Klopp, the Lijnders loved ones dominating the dancing floor, interest looked to the future. Lijnders had already been fielding rate of interest from clubs keen to speak to him regarding honest vacancies, and he recognized it was time for his family members to experience one thing brand new." You possess ten years in Liverpool, in Formby, a small village, you have everything certainly there, right?" he states. "Thus my children understand nothing at all apart from England, Liverpool as well as the nightclub. They believe every stadium is like Anfield." Lijnders merely spoke to clubs that would explore him in person in Formby, and also each opportunity he will seek specific promises. But it was Austrian Bundesliga side FC Salzburg that attracted him. The crew had sustained a difficult 2023-24 project, which viewed then-manager Gerhard Struber sacked in April, and also won the regular time however finished second in the Championship Round to Sturm Graz to end their initial trophyless period in a decade.After a check out to Salzburg to go to the club personally, Lijnders' other half Danielle turned to their youngest kid, Romijn, as well as talked to: "What do you think of Salzburg?" Romijn answered: "I overlook it already." play1:34 Michallik: Arne Slot has created Luis Du00edaz a far better playerESPN FC's Mark Donaldson and Janusz Michallik review just how Liverpool employer Arne Slot is getting the most ideal away from his squad, particularly Luis Du00edaz, observing their 3-0 sway Bournemouth.New beginningsOn Aug. 13, 2024, Salzburg beat FC Twente 5-4 on aggregate to get the Champions Circle team phase. "Our company would like to be actually the group that can easily beat any person in the world," Lijnders claims. "Are our company certainly there but? No, of course certainly not ... we have actually only started. Yet I yearn for the followers to presume, "ok, this is actually the brand-new Salzburg."" Along with his counter-pressing ideology greatly deep-rooted, Lijnders likewise desires his Salzburg to stifle the adversary. "You can easily participate in a leading design of football, where you may possess the ball in the enemy's half a lot," he includes. "Our team are actually young, we are talented, we has plenty of blowing. Our experts do not want the enemy to possess at any time. There is actually a great deal talent here, a lot electricity, so much youth. "Our experts have a much smaller squad, 16 or even 17 gamers, and that offers us area for the institute." With a slogan of "Fuu00dfball von morgen" [Soccer from tomorrow] as well as a history of unparalleled players like Erling Haaland, Sadio Manu00e9, Dominik Szoboszlai, Benjamin Sesko as well as Dayot Upamecano having happened through the ranks, the nightclub's emphasis is significantly on youth the earliest gamers in the squad are actually goalkeepers Janis Blaswich (33) as well as Alexander Schlager (28 ), while the earliest outfield players are 25. Since Lijnders joined, Salzburg have actually raided his old nightclub to authorize midfielders Stefan Bajcetic as well as Bobby Clark on loan, while the brand-new manager additionally brought coaches Vitor Matos as well as Andreas Kornmayer along with him.The mad fellas from Salzburg u2764 pic.twitter.com/DrsXmSKwJ8u2014 FC Reddish Upward Salzburg (@RedBullSalzburg) August 27, 2024 The old Liverpool coaches still have their WhatsApp group open it's called the "Gemstone Canine," inspired by Apple TV program Ted Lasso. When Salzburg stage show, the conversation is as active as ever before, with Klopp maintaining a near eye on just how Lijnders is making out." Everyone with a little bit of a football eye can observe his influence," Klopp claims. "I enjoy this pleasant mix of actual magnitude, a very clear tip and also possession. I informed him after a video game recently, you can see this team has a good instructor. That is actually exactly how I determine trains my entire lifestyle-- you watch the activities, and then you ponder that trainers all of them. They play properly. I think it's a great deal for him at Salzburg. It's so intelligent coming from him, and also it is actually thus clever from Salzburg." Salzburg's organization time started along with 4 wins, a draw and a defeat, yet it has likewise viewed detrimental losses to Sparta Prague (3-0) and also Brest (4-0) in the Champions Game. He acquired some critical remarks for dealing with staffs versus Sparta and Austria Wien with no Austrian gamers in the lineup, yet Lijnders recognizes there will definitely be actually times when form sags and pressure boosts. He will definitely adhere to his guidelines which have provided him well until now." It is actually darker as well as alone when you don't gain, as well as when you enter such a time period, it could be black, unhappy and annoying," he points out. "However when you are actually qualifying on the field, assisting gamers enhance, I will never get tired of that. In those seconds you have to hold on to what creates you, as a player, as well as a coach." Every instructor will go through challenging periods, however there's nothing at all wrong with that. I understand I have fun with high threat, but likewise high incentive. That's who I am. There are pair of matches in regulation football. There is actually the complement on the scoreboard, as well as the second fit is your identity. You may lose one, but you'll never lose the 2nd fit." I hope you'll view Salzburg pressing and also chasing after the enemy all over the whole pitch, as well as from all directions. But most importantly, they are actually performing it all together, permanently." Added coverage: Sanne vehicle Dongen as well as Milan truck Dongen.