Jurgen Klopp’s former assistant Liverpool supervisor Pep Lijnders was sacked by Pink Bull Salzburg lower than a month earlier than the German’s appointment as world head of soccer operations.
Lijnders was promoted from Liverpool’s U18 aspect to Brendan Rodgers’ first-team workers in the summertime of 2015. The energetic coach was initially retained by Klopp who took over a number of months later and remained in situ till transferring to Dutch second-tier aspect NEC Nijmengen in January 2018. Very similar to his stint at Salzburg, Lijnders’ spell within the Netherlands was brief and never very candy.
RB Salzburg completed as runners-up to Sturm Graz within the 2023/24 marketing campaign, hinting at a way of decline after ten consecutive titles, however the well-funded Austrian giants have had their downward spiral accelerated beneath Lijnders’ watch this time period.
On the time of Lijnders’ departure, Salzburg discovered themselves fifth within the prime flight, already ten factors adrift of league-leading Sturm Graz.
The previous Liverpool coach, who returned to Anfield after his failure at NEC in 2018 earlier than following Klopp out of the door final summer time, had managed to information his aspect into the league section of the new-look Champions League. But, Europe’s elite has confirmed to be an unforgiving setting. RB have misplaced 5 of their six matches by an mixture rating of 3-18.
Salzburg gained their remaining fixture beneath Lijnders, heading into Austria’s winter break on the again of a 3-0 league victory over Austria Klagenfurt.
Nevertheless, the membership had seen sufficient. CEO Stephan Reiter and director of sport Rouven Schroder launched a joint assertion a couple of season which has “not been passable”.
“It was clear to see that in lots of our matches we now have been far wanting our personal necessities and goals,” the assertion learn. “We’ve got due to this fact turn into satisfied that our workforce wants a brand new impulse beneath new administration, even when we continued to hope for a turnaround till the top.
“We want to thank Pep for his work. He put loads of effort and fervour into it and has supplied essential momentum for our additional improvement.
“We at the moment are very intensively searching for a brand new coach and can talk as quickly as a call is made. We clearly need to begin coaching once more on 3 January 2025 with our new coach in place.”
That seek for a brand new coach may very well be aided by Lijnders’ former boss, Jurgen Klopp. The legendary Liverpool supervisor introduced his controversial choice to take over as head of worldwide soccer operations for Pink Bull’s huge steady of golf equipment earlier this 12 months forward of his begin date on 1 January 2025.
Klopp had thought of Lijnders as his potential successor at Liverpool over the summer time, however the Merseyside outfit in the end opted for Arne Slot. The pair have loved and endured wildly contrasting seasons to this point.
