.Tom Hamilton, Senior Citizen WriterOct 2, 2024, 05:30 AM ETClose u2022 Signed up with ESPN in 2011 u2022 Dealt with two Olympics, a pair of Rugby Planet Cups and pair of British & Irish Lions tours u2022 Formerly rugby publisher, and came to be senior writer in 2018The walls of Pep Lijnders' garage in his new Salzburg home are actually still bare.The unpacked containers on the flooring include minds of his journey from training student at PSV to ending up being Ju00fcrgen Klopp's "identical partner" at Liverpool, as Klopp phones it. There are actually framed pictures, t shirts and also suit rounds from the several finals he helped the group reach.But there is actually another memento he values most of all as it sums up what he is actually passionate regarding developing youth, as well as finding all of them thrive on regulation football's greatest stage. Next to some of the match spheres coming from the 2019 Champions League last is a photo from the celebrations after Liverpool's triumph. It is actually a picture of Lijnders with Trent Alexander-Arnold on his back. Alexander-Arnold mounted it as well as gave it to him when Lijnders left Liverpool in addition to Klopp in May. The subtitle reviews: "This is my preferred photo people, as well. Thank you for definitely every thing. Without you, none of it was achievable. Trent." Lijnders has actually received webpages and also pages of instruction treatments dating back two decades. His journey started in 2002 as young people coach at PSV, in 2006 he moved to FC Porto, then in 2014 he overcame the Liverpool positions to become an instructor under Brendan Rodgers as well as Klopp, prior to he chose to check out his own during a chastening spell as NEC Nijmegen manager in 2018. He returned to Liverpool six months eventually along with wonderful excellence and also, as Klopp told ESPN NL in August, Lijnders was the German's footballing "inspiration for the last nine years." Publisher's Picks2 RelatedLijnders is actually currently plunging into one more trip at FC Salzburg, wanting to channel impacts like Johan Cruyff, the father of Dutch "Complete Football," Italian ideal and also air conditioner Milan legend Arrigo Sacchi, and also ex-Feyenoord manager Wiel Coerver while instilling his own viewpoint as a "counter-pressing beast," as Klopp puts it. However this isn't Liverpool 2.0, and he is actually certainly not living under Klopp's wing.The road coming from associate under a famous employer to manager in your very own right is actually a well-trodden one. There are actually excellence accounts: Mikel Arteta left Pep Guardiola's conservation in 2019 for the Collection job and also has carried out unbelievably effectively in a brief room of time Josu00e9 Mourinho was actually assistant to Bobby Robson at Barcelona prior to bursting out on his very own to become one of one of the most prosperous managers of perpetuity brand-new Chelsea supervisor Enzo Maresca worked under Guardiola while the terrific Joe Fagan took what he learned from famous duo Bill Shankly as well as Bob Paisley to steer Liverpool to silverware in the 1980s. However at that point there are the red flags as well: In 1998, Brian Kidd's tenure at Blackburn lasted 11 months after seven trophy-laden years at Manchester United with Sir Alex Ferguson John Sculptor prospered under Robson and also Alan Pardew at Newcastle but flopped when he commanded as caretaker in 2015. Thus, it is actually keeping that background of changability that Lijnders is going it alone at Salzburg. He wishes his staff to become understood for his master plan of footballing "intensity." However he will not be given very long a moratorium. His staff have actually made an assessed beginning-- gaining 8 from 14 activities, yet dropping 4-0 to Brest in the Champions Organization on Tuesday-- and while it's a group renowned for youth development, the followers anticipate results given last time was their first without cutlery for a many years." We are actually trying to produce a team that can easily trump anybody in globe soccer," Lijnders said to ESPN NL in August. "Are our company there certainly however? No, absolutely not. However we get on program." From Cruyff to KloppPep Lijnders aided Jurgen Klopp build some of the very best Liverpool groups in the past of the club. ( Image by John Powell/Liverpool FC through Getty Images) Lijnders' having fun occupation as a ructious midfielder for nearby amateur club SVEB on the Dutch-German perimeter was actually cut short at 17 years of ages due to an ACL accident. He headed to the Central Principle for Athletics Forerunner Instruction (CIOS) to study as well as started operating at PSV Eindhoven, acquiring the only coaching apprenticeship on offer to trainees on the training program. As he handled his researches and also his project at PSV, he also organized SVEB's books, where he to begin with attempted to implement his theory: a mix of "Complete Soccer" (a liquid soccer unit reassuring positional interchangeability championed through Cruyff) and unrelenting counter-pressing." I had the feeling players revived when I trained, which provides you self-confidence," he says.The apprenticeship along with PSV was suggested to become a five-year venture, however he was granted a permanent deal after three years, as well as invested the following 2 years flitting in between the USA and also the Netherlands along with fellow coach Frans Hoek while building abilities like Cody Gakpo as well as Jordan Teze. He gained from the epic Guus Hiddink when he was PSV trainer from 2002 to 2006 as well as informs ESPN: "Guus offered colour to Dutch football in the way Ju00fcrgen offered colour to German regulation football." In 2007, aged 24, Lijnders possessed interest coming from MTK Budapest, however used up an arrangement at FC Porto where he hung on Vitor Frade's every word. Frade-- appreciated by Mourinho, Andru00e9 Villas-Boas, Robson and also numerous others-- was an university professor who was likewise assistant supervisor at Porto as well as the papa of tactical periodisation (basically making use of training as a mirror for match intensity and also rhythm, as opposed to an isolated exercise). Lijnders remembers their military advancements during the time as well as get into a vast smile, referencing a flying photograph he possesses of one Co Adriaanse's system where he set up entirely wingers on the flanks and also no full-backs. At that time it wasted his mind.In Portugal, Lijnders operated to spearhead Porto's "Project 611," an umbrella phrase for the club's planning to re-think the institute's relationship with the first team. "I trained all the staffs-- U19 in the early morning, U15 in the mid-day, and U12 as well as U11 at night," he claims. "Occasionally I 'd have 40 players, but I didn't speak a word of Portuguese." Even with that barrier, Porto flourished. The club brought through talents like Jou00e3o Fu00e9lix, Andru00e9 Gomes, Andru00e9 Silva, Fabio Vieira and Diogo Dalot. There was actually likewise midfielder Ru00faben Neves, a player that captained Lijnders' youth teams at Porto, functioned as explainer, and also someone who Lijnders created that he "loves to little bits" in his 2022 book "Intensity."" That is actually why I adore regulation football so much," Lijnders says. "The connection you build with the gamers. If that connection isn't there certainly, there's no chance to results." He was actually appeared out by Rene Meulensteen in early 2013 as an achievable enhancement to Ferguson's backroom workers at Male United, yet that collapsed when Ferguson retired at the end of that season. And also by mid-2014, Lijnders was ready for a brand new challenge. While analyzing for his UEFA mentoring badges under the guidance of the Welsh FA, Lijnders had gotten a young people coach openings at Liverpool work, so the nightclub sent U23 manager Michael Beale and academy supervisor Alex Inglethorpe to listen to one of his presentations. It did the job: "Michael said to me, 'Pepijn, you're certainly not soaring back to Porto, you are actually including me to Liverpool.'" Some Of Pep Lijnders' essential skill-sets was actually supporting as well as recognizing academy talent prior to providing a possibility to increase with the rankings. ( Image through Cees vehicle Hoogdalem/Soccrates/Getty Graphics) Lijnders flew to Liverpool that night, was actually installed in a lodging, as well as for 3 days they talked. It found yourself with Liverpool supplying Lijnders an arrangement to take charge of the U16 as well as U15s: a team that featured Rhian Brewster, Ben Woodburn, Caoimhu00edn Kelleher, Curtis Jones, and also, especially, captain Alexander-Arnold. That summer season Lijnders was advertised to a project with the first string under Rodgers, however when the Northern Irishman was sacked on Oct. 4, 2005, Mike Gordon (head of state of the group's proprietors Fenway Sports Team) inquired Lijnders to maintain Liverpool's training ground Melwood beating over while they engaged in Klopp. Of course, when the German managed there were no promises he was mosting likely to maintain Lijnders. Many of Rodgers' personnel had actually left behind actually, however Gordon inquired the brand-new supervisor to go on a number of coaches coming from the previous program. Klopp still possessed last word, but was open to the idea.The first was John Achtenberg. "Excellent, considering that I didn't possess a goalkeeping train," Klopp don't forgets telling Gordon. He inquired his brand new manager: "What performs the various other fella do?" Gordon said Lijnders was actually a "technical coach" a pro in bridging the gap in between young people as well as first team." In Germany, no one purchases a train like that," Klopp says to ESPN. "They 'd claim, 'You prefer a second associate wherefore? What are you carrying out?' Thus, I liked the idea a whole lot." It was actually a luxury to Klopp, however he still failed to recognize much regarding this younger Dutch coach. Therefore on his first night at the club, the new-look Liverpool control met for supper in the Hope Road Hotels And Resort. Klopp had his counted on team Zeljko Buvac and also Peter Krawietz certainly there with him, but he desired to learn more about the new skins. Achtenberg rested to one side of him Lijnders to the other. "It was actually essentially love prima facie," Klopp mentions of Lijnders. "I found his enthusiasm for whatever." Klopp additionally found just how much Lijnders appreciated him. "I do not view on my own as a phenomenal instructor," he claims. "I understand some folks for one reason or another think that, and you can find it in Pep's eyes. You can see him assume, 'I much better listen closely.' That's just how it began. Due to the end, our experts were equivalent partners." play1:40 Michallik: Port producing Liverpool's post-Klopp switch painlessJanusz Michallik says the most significant praise you can spend Arne Slot is that he is actually stopped pundits referring to lifestyle after Jurgen Klopp.Blossoming at AnfieldLijnders' first duty under Klopp was as best development instructor. He really loves flipcharts as well as each component of his planned sight was jotted down on these vast papers. Klopp bears in mind those early meetings, and exactly how whenever he would certainly speak, he 'd listen to Lijnders' pen scribbling away, writing everything he said.At this phase, Klopp got in touch with Buvac the "human brain" as well as Krawietz the "eye." Talking in 2017 to LFC TELEVISION, Klopp claimed: "Pep has actually ended up being incredibly necessary in a short time considering that he writes every thing down. He is likewise part of 'the mind' due to the fact that he is our mind to keep in mind the many things what we carried out in previous sessions ... I got the Dutch coach that was resisted to property! Dutch regulation football is possession-based: it is actually Complete Soccer, Cruyff. But he was actually a counter-pressing monster. I liked his pleasure and also the technique he avoids the seat when he discusses football." Among his best additions during that initial time period at Liverpool can be found in poking Klopp to provide a few of the academy gamers an opportunity in the first team, along with Alexander-Arnold some of the first promoted in 2016 at the age of 18." I could write a manual about the instant he to begin with told me concerning Trent Alexander-Arnold," Klopp tells ESPN. "Our team unlocked Trent ran throughout it. His ideal feet is preposterous. The Trent highlights video is actually foolish. You don't need the objectives, it is actually the elapseds, you enjoy the elapseds and presume 'Just how is actually that possible?' It's a fully different sporting activity." Lijnders also had a significant influence in bridging the gap in between first team and institute. "I learnt from him," Klopp adds. "He opened my thoughts for various factors in soccer. As all of us get older, the distance in between you as well as the grow older of the gamer group gets bigger. My 2 kids maintained me in touch with that generation, however certainly, the next generation of outstanding trains are actually already around. There's constantly modify, progression and also enhancement. Pep opened my eyes for those kinds of things.Pep Lijnders possessed a short assignment at Dutch side NEC Nijmegen just before returning Liverpool in 2018. ( Photo through Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) Under Klopp, Lijnders took over more accountability: preparing instruction as well as the timetable around complements. Off the sound, the two frequently participated in padel as well as came to be surprisingly near friends.Liverpool finished fourth in 2016-17 however, midway by means of the complying with project, Lijnders was actually being seemed out regarding a head-coach position of his very own back in the Netherlands. Keen to return to his homeland 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 department side NEC Nijmegen on Jan. 2, 2018. His target was to safeguard advertising back to the Eredivisie, but it proved to be an ill-fated spell and they lost in the playoffs to FC Emmen. After over 5 months in the duty, he left by shared contract on May 17." I have regularly taken full duty and also never said a poor word about NEC," Lijnders points out. "It's an attractive nightclub, but sometimes the timing is actually not right. In some cases there is no hit, or occasionally you join a nightclub where you require perseverance. But I take responsibility. I do not desire to point out a lot of concerning it, due to the fact that every little thing I say might come across incorrect. I discovered a great deal to take in to my upcoming project." Back at Anfield, Buvac had actually gone on in April and Klopp was actually searching for a new aide. Naturally, he preferred Lijnders back.One day, Lijnders was in the yard along with his better half Danielle as well as mom when his phone rang. It was actually Klopp, and also Danielle inquired what the call had to do with. "He informed me our experts're going to conquer the world," Lijnders informed her.Just 19 days after he left behind NEC, Lijnders' visit as Klopp's assistant manager was revealed on June 5." All of us know there is actually a well-known expression: 'You may learn more coming from defeats than coming from constant triumph,'" Klopp states. "I'm not exactly sure it [Lijnders' time at NEC] was an actual loss, however it wasn't properly prepared, I believe we can easily state that. Our company didn't speak a great deal regarding it, it was actually not important. I was just pleased he came back." A gold returnPep Lijnders and also Jurgen Klopp position with the FA Cup and the Carabao Mug prize throughout the Liverpool ceremony on May 29, 2022. ( Picture through Jan Kruger/Getty Pictures) Over the next few years, Klopp and Lijnders would certainly achieve outstanding effectiveness with each other at Liverpool. The glorious second was the 2019 Champions League final win over Tottenham Hotspur, yet that was merely among a lot of prizes including the 2019-20 Premier Organization headline, 2022 FA Mug, 2019 Group World Cup, as well as 2022 and also 2024 League Cups.Lijnders sympathized all the essential seconds, both in the public eye and also in the shades as they outlined their excellence. He was actually translator on the call when Klopp was actually attempting to convince Porto winger Luis Du00edaz to sign up with the group in January 2022, as well as bears in mind being in Klopp's kitchen space trying to work out how to convince centre-back Virgil vehicle Dijk to authorize from Southampton in January 2018. But with all the pleasure as well as troubles, the task took its cost. As well as before the 2023-24 time started, Klopp and also Lijnders began to plan for the finishing aspect." It was happening in the [2023] summer months, [along with] a quite hard year responsible for us," Lijnders says of an initiative where the group ended up fifth and also were knocked senseless of the Champions League in the round of 16. "Our company mored than happy our experts gained the final eight, nine video games of the time, our team still mosted likely to Europe. Our team changed the device Trent went even more inside [to play as a midfielder]" In the summer months our company presently covered if it was the right time to go, or even if it was the right time to proceed. Our team stated 'yes, our team'll perform another year and also our experts'll observe in January.' However by November-time, Ju00fcrgen pointed out: 'I am actually performed.' And I stated, 'Yes if that holds true, it is actually time for me to go as well.' I've had many, great promotions in recent times, yet I desired to finish the job along with him. My hookup is actually incredibly powerful along with him: he's a bro, a dad, a mentor. Beyond my family members and closest friends, he knows me better than anyone." On May 19, 2024, Klopp took charge of Liverpool for the final time as they beat Wolves 2-0. After being out on the sound, taking in the unfiltered worship, posing for many photos, he discovered themself back in the innards of Anfield and there was an unusual minute of silent." Our team would certainly had Louise Dobson, the staff manager, telling our team where to go and also when, as well as our company were thus touched [by the events]," he claims. "In the long run, it was merely Pep and me. We possessed tears in our eyes. We understood our team were actually honored too because in our company, you come in by means of the main door and also they push you out the back door. Our team were actually blessed and also our company might head out via the frontal door. Our experts wrote a book all together and also was the last chapter. And our company delighted in that as a lot [as our experts can] considering that you recognize it's not forever. That's lifestyle." After an evening partying, and also, depending on to Klopp, the Lijnders family members controling the dance flooring, interest turned to the future. Lijnders had already been dealing with rate of interest from clubs keen to talk with him concerning forthcoming jobs, as well as he knew it was time for his household to experience one thing brand-new." You have one decade in Liverpool, in Formby, a little community, you have whatever there certainly, right?" he claims. "So my children recognize nothing at all besides England, Liverpool as well as the club. They presume every stadium is like Anfield." Lijnders only talked with clubs who would visit him face to face in Formby, as well as each time he will search for certain assurances. Yet it was actually Austrian Bundesliga side FC Salzburg that seduced him. The staff had withstood a hard 2023-24 project, which viewed then-manager Gerhard Struber sacked in April, as well as succeeded the routine period yet completed second in the Champion Round to Sturm Graz to finish their first trophyless time in a decade.After a visit to Salzburg to see the club face to face, Lijnders' spouse Danielle counted on their youngest kid, Romijn, and talked to: "What perform you consider Salzburg?" Romijn responded to: "I miss it actually." play1:34 Michallik: Arne Port has actually made Luis Du00edaz a better playerESPN FC's Mark Donaldson as well as Janusz Michallik discuss how Liverpool supervisor Arne Slot is acquiring the most effective away from his team, in particular Luis Du00edaz, following their 3-0 sway Bournemouth.New beginningsOn Aug. thirteen, 2024, Salzburg beat FC Twente 5-4 on accumulation to apply for the Champions Circle team stage. "Our team wish to be the group that can easily defeat anybody on earth," Lijnders claims. "Are our company there certainly but? No, naturally certainly not ... we have actually just started. Yet I really want the followers to presume, "all right, this is the brand-new Salzburg."" With his counter-pressing viewpoint deeply embedded, Lijnders additionally wishes his Salzburg to stifle the opponent. "You may play a dominant type of soccer, where you can have the reception in the challenger's half a whole lot," he incorporates. "Our company are youthful, our team excel, we contain bravado. Our experts don't really want the opponent to have whenever. There is actually so much ability below, a great deal power, a great deal youth. "Our team possess a much smaller team, 16 or even 17 gamers, and that gives us room for the institute." Along with a motto of "Fuu00dfball von morgen" [Regulation football from tomorrow] as well as a background of first-rate gamers like Erling Haaland, Sadio Manu00e9, Dominik Szoboszlai, Benjamin Sesko and Dayot Upamecano having happened through the ranks, the club's concentration is significantly on youth the oldest players in the squad are goalkeepers Janis Blaswich (33) and also Alexander Schlager (28 ), while the oldest outfield players are actually 25. Because Lijnders participated in, Salzburg have actually currently plundered his old nightclub to authorize midfielders Stefan Bajcetic and Bobby Clark on finance, while the new supervisor additionally carried coaches Vitor Matos as well as Andreas Kornmayer with him.The wild guys from Salzburg u2764 pic.twitter.com/DrsXmSKwJ8u2014 FC Red Upward Salzburg (@RedBullSalzburg) August 27, 2024 The aged Liverpool instructors still possess their WhatsApp team available it is actually knowned as the "Gemstone Canine," motivated by Apple TV series Ted Lasso. When Salzburg stage show, the chat is actually as energetic as ever before, with Klopp maintaining a shut eye on exactly how Lijnders is doing." Everyone with a little bit of a soccer eye may see his influence," Klopp claims. "I like this good mix of actual magnitude, a very clear concept as well as things. I told him after a game lately, you can observe this team has a great coach. That's exactly how I judge coaches my whole lifestyle-- you view the games, and after that you ponder that trains all of them. They play well. I believe it's a great deal for him at Salzburg. It's thus smart from him, and also it's thus brilliant from Salzburg." Salzburg's league time started with 4 triumphes, a draw and a defeat, but it has actually also found harmful reductions to Sparta Prague (3-0) and Brest (4-0) in the Champions Organization. He got some objection for dealing with teams against Sparta and Austria Wien with no Austrian players in the sequence, yet Lijnders knows there will definitely be actually times when kind sags and also stress rises. He will certainly stick to his guidelines which have actually provided him effectively until now." It is actually black and also alone when you do not succeed, and also when you enter into such a duration, it could be black, unhappy as well as awkward," he points out. "Yet when you're teaching on the area, helping players boost, I will certainly never acquire exhausted of that. In those instants you need to hold on to what makes you, as a player, as well as a trainer." Every coach will experience challenging time periods, but there's nothing at all wrong with that said. I know I enjoy with high danger, yet also higher benefit. That's that I am. There are 2 paireds in football. There's the suit on the scoreboard, as well as the 2nd suit is your identification. You may drop one, but you'll certainly never drop the second match." I wish you'll find Salzburg pressing and also chasing the enemy around the whole entire pitch, and coming from all paths. But above all, they're doing it together, forever." Extra reporting: Sanne van Dongen and Milan vehicle Dongen.