As the dust settles on their departures from Liverpool Football Club, former assistant coach Pep Lijnders has spoken candidly about the importance of leaving the club in a manner that was both respectful and beneficial for its future. Lijnders, who played a key role in the Reds’ historic championship wins in the Premier League and Champions League, has opened up on his exit from the club and his glowing praise for incoming manager Arne Slot.
According to Lijnders, he and legendary manager Jürgen Klopp made a conscious decision to step down from their roles at Liverpool in order to allow the club to find the right successor and achieve continuity. The 41-year-old, who left Anfield to take the reins at Salzburg, where he has been working since January, wants to be remembered for his contributions to the club’s success, rather than being remembered for how he departed.
“I wanted to leave the club in the right way,” he said in an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail. “Announce it early, so they have the time to find the right guys. It’s not easy to find a coach of the calibre of Liverpool, and I’m proud of what Jürgen and I achieved.”
Lijnders’ comments come as no surprise, given his dedication and loyalty to Liverpool during his two spells at the club. He was part of the coaching team that helped the Reds secure a plethora of trophies, and his departure was met with a mix of sadness and gratitude from the fans.
However, Lijnders has been quick to praise his successor, Arne Slot, who has made an impressive start to his tenure at the helm. “What’s happening now with Arne, doing the job he is doing…wow, it makes me really grateful,” he said. “I feel blessed to see it, the way the club is doing and performing on a really high level. Certain players are flourishing and making the next steps.”
Lijnders’ admiration for Slot is palpable, and it’s clear that he sees the new manager as the perfect fit for the club. “That was the whole idea of us leaving early, so this could happen and the club can continue to grow,” he added. “I owe Liverpool everything. I owe the fans and players everything. It was my life. For 10 years, it was the only thing I thought about.”
As Lijnders looks back on his time at Liverpool, it’s clear that he is proud of what he achieved, both on and off the pitch. “All I wanted was to be successful,” he said. “When I woke up and went to bed, Liverpool was on my mind – even on holidays. It is really nice to see how healthy the club is. Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley would be proud.”
With Lijnders now set to return to football in a new capacity at the start of 2025, his departure from Liverpool marks the beginning of a new chapter in his life and career. As he looks back on his time at Anfield, it’s clear that Lijnders will always be remembered as one of the key figures in the club’s recent history.
