Pep Lijnders went from working with Jurgen Klopp to his greatest rival in Pep Guardiola
Pep Lijnders and Jurgen Klopp on the sideline during their time with Liverpool
Pep Lijnders joined Manchester City last summer(Image: Getty Images)
View 2 Images
Pep Lijnders reversed the pledge he made to Jurgen Klopp by becoming a trusted aide to Pep Guardiola, although he latter revealed he received the German's blessing. The former Liverpool coach departed Anfield alongside Klopp at the conclusion of the 2023/24 campaign.
Embarking once more on a head coaching role, the Dutchman agreed a three-year contract at RB Salzburg in May 2024 but endured just seven months before being dismissed shortly before the new year.
Choosing to remain away from football until next summer, Lijnders' subsequent appointment astonished the Liverpool fanbase as he linked up with Manchester City to become one of Guardiola's assistant managers, alongside ex-City and Liverpool defender Kolo Toure.
By teaming up with the legendary Spaniard who dubbed Klopp as his greatest-ever adversary, Lijnders went back on the original commitment he made to Klopp. Following his second departure from Liverpool, the 43-year-old maintained he would never serve as an assistant to anyone else and vowed to concentrate on his managerial journey.
He said at the time: "10 years of the club and my boys don't know anything else, they are Scousers. I owe this club everything. They don't owe me anything, to be honest. It's 10 years full of dedication.
Manchester City manager Josep Guardiola shouts instructions to his team from the technical area with coach Pepijn Lijnders close by during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Fulham
Pep Lijnders has already won silverware at Manchester City(Image: CameraSport via Getty Images)
View 2 Images
"I always said I will finish with Jurgen (Klopp); the moment I will not assist anyone else, that's the moment I will go and I will manage. That was always the case. So when we spoke, it was clear for me: OK, then I go and manage, and we end this project together [that] we started."
"It's not easy. My boys, my wife; my boys are two proper Scousers and their whole life they will be. Maybe posh ones! But still! I cannot say thank you enough to everybody involved."
Before City's 2-1 victory over Liverpool in February, Guardiola spoke openly about his choice to bring in Lijnders, revealing he felt an immediate bond with the Dutchman. The City manager said: "I had a lot of info from other people about him who had been trained or managed by him at Liverpool."
FOLLOW OUR LIVERPOOL FC FACEBOOK PAGE! All the latest news and analysis from Anfield on the Liverpool Echo's dedicated LFC Facebook page
"I needed to refresh myself first with new people who have incredible knowledge about the game and the Premier League and I love a lot many things that he did with Jurgen at Liverpool. We talked one day, I think we felt connected immediately.
"I am incredibly lucky that since the first day I started as a manager [with] all my backroom staff and close people and Pep is one of them."
Lijnders himself revealed earlier this year how Klopp gave him his blessing to take the job with City. He said: "When I spoke with Jurgen he was so clear - 'if you don't do it, I will take the assistant job.'"
"You cannot put away 10 years of Liverpool that easily, but I'm really proud to come to a club of this magnitude, so successful over the last 10 years and with a manager that defined football."
Lijnders' impact at the Etihad this season has already yielded a trophy, with City beating Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final last month. A domestic cup double remains a possibility, with City set to host Liverpool on Saturday in the FA Cup quarter-finals. It will be Lijnders in the dugout taking charge of City as he looks to eliminate his former club from the competition, with Guardiola suspended for two matches.
Buy Blood Red, our monthly Liverpool FC print publication for just £3.50 by clicking here