Klopp Urged Me to take Man City Assistant Job – Lijnders

Pep Lijnders says former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp urged him to take the job as Pep Guardiola’s assistant coach at Manchester City.

Lijnders, 43, replaced Juanma Lillo as Guardiola’s number two last summer following six successful years as Klopp’s assistant at Anfield and a short spell as Red Bull Salzburg boss.

The Dutchman left the Reds when German Klopp departed at the end of the 2023-24 season, having helped the side win major trophies including the Premier League and Champions League.

Despite the recent rivalry between the two sides – City beat Liverpool to the league title twice by one point in 2018-19 and 2021-22 – Lijnders said Klopp was enthusiastic about the opportunity for him to work under Guardiola.

“When I spoke with Jurgen he was so clear – ‘if you don’t do it, I will take the assistant job’,” he joked.

“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 initially arrived at Liverpool as a development coach under former boss Brendan Rodgers in 2014, but left in 2018 to manage Dutch side NEC Nijmegen in the Eredivisie.

However, he was dismissed at the end of the season so returned to Anfield to become Klopp’s assistant in 2019 following the departure of Zeljko Buvac.

His tenure at Austrian club Salzburg lasted only 29 games, and while his switch to City raised some eyebrows, Lijnders said Guardiola’s offer was too good to turn down.

“Pep’s brilliant, of course. He has a passion and a game-understanding from a different planet, in my opinion,” said Lijnders.

“The moment Pep called, the feeling was straight away really good. It was not a difficult decision.”

City are second in the Premier League, seven points behind leaders Arsenal, and face Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday (16:30 GMT)

Lijnders then returns to Anfield next weekend as City take on defending champions Liverpool, where he said he will remain professional but his “mindset is to win and to try to beat them”.

Guardiola has won 18 trophies since becoming City manager in 2016, and in May 2024 the 55-year-old celebrated guiding the club to a record fourth consecutive top-flight title. Lijnders said the Spaniard’s drive and pursuit of excellence is inspiring.

“The best ones are like that – Tiger Woods, all these guys. They push themselves to limits,” he said.

“He’s constantly searching for that – very professional, very ambitious, wants to make impact every day.

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“But I always say his biggest strength is the passion he has for his team, the passion he has for us, his love for his backroom staff, how he treats everyone and that family feeling inside this club.”

Source: BBC