Pep Lijnders has spoken of his plans now that he is no longer Jurgen Klopp‘s assistant manager at Liverpool FC.
With the Reds boss leaving at the end of the season, Lijnders decided it was also time for him to create a new chapter.
“Over the past three years, I said ‘no’ to a lot of clubs,” he admitted to the New York Times. “The reason I always stayed was out of loyalty to Jurgen and FSG. I already really wanted to go and show what I could do.”
“I’ve been at Liverpool for nearly 10 years. I was ready for a new experience: new people, my own staff, my own players. I gave everything I had to this playing group.
“I think the team would continue with the same ways if I stayed here. I feel that the team as well needs something new. But I never knew 100% what my response would be if Mike Gordon (FSG president) called me. You say ‘no, no, no’ but then…”
Gordon eventually made that phone call in February after Klopp’s departure announcement.
“Mike said, ‘Pep, we really considered you, but I think it’s fair for you that we don’t put you after Jurgen’. Mike is a good guy. He knew as well. I’d made my ambition clear. It was best for the future.”
Instead, Pep was quick to take up the offer of the manager job at RB Salzburg, agreeing a three-year contract with the Austrian club.
We wish him all the very best for the future and hope to bump into him the next time the two clubs play each other in Europe!
