Former Liverpool assistant Pep Lijnders reveals rare argument with Jurgen Klopp over Anfield star that left him ‘really upset’

Former Liverpool assistant manager Pep Lijnders has revealed that a fight with Jurgen Klopp over youngster Conor Bradley left him ‘really upset’. 

The Northern Irishman had an advocate in Lijnders, who sought to promote the full-back to the first team after making five appearances for the club in cup competitions. 

But according to the Dutchman, Klopp believed that the youngster required a spell on loan to further his development and sanctioned a move to Bolton Wanderers for the 2023-23 campaign. 

Lijnders has shed light on how this angered him and formed one of the rows he had with the legendary former Liverpool boss. 

‘I remember that I really fought, proper fought, for Conor to be our No 2 behind Trent,’ said Lijnders in the new four-part documentary ‘Doubters To Believers Liverpool FC: Klopp’s Era’.

‘I was really trying to keep him in the club because I believed that he would already be ready at that time. 

Klopp fell out with the Dutchman over the decision to send Conor Bradley out on loan in 2022

Bradley (left) enjoyed a superb loan before establishing himself as an important first team player for the Reds

‘The club makes the decision together with Jurgen get him out on loan, and it really, really upset me a lot. There was hard, hard words and it was probably one of the only confrontations I had with Jurgen. He won’t remember it anyway but I remember it.’

In this case of Bradley, Klopp’s instincts proved to be correct as the defender enjoyed a successful spell in League One before establishing himself as a key first team player. 

While at Bolton, Bradley scored seven goals in 53 appearances, won the EFL Trophy and was voted as the club’s player of the year.

Since returning he has featured 45 times and could be set for a starting role next term if Trent Alexander-Arnold departs at the end of the season. 

Lijnders, who had a brief spell as RB Salzburg boss after leaving Anfield last summer, has previously opened up on differences of opinion with the German boss. 

Last year he reveled that he begged Klopp to play Alexander-Arnold in a hybrid midfield role and even pledged to give him ‘all my f****** salary’ to try it out.

Lijnders was often described as the brains behind the German’s extraordinary reign on Merseyside. He joined the club in 2014 to coach the Under-16s side but when Klopp arrived in 2015 he saw something in the Dutchman and promoted him to the first-team set-up.  

Following the departure of Roberto Firmino in 2023, he explained how he lobbied Klopp to utalise the Englishman’s talents in the centre of pitch, with the Reds needing another man in the middle.

Klopp was initially reluctant to push Alexander-Arnold into midfield but agreed as they needed the numbers 

My idea constantly was: the best No. 6 I had in the U16s was Trent Alexander-Arnold,’ Lijnders told The Redmen TV.

‘It’s not to only have extra players inside, to have four here (in the midfield), to have the same as what Bobby Firmino did.

‘But it’s also to have Trent in a position where the ball can fly from left to right.

‘What I said constantly to Jurgen was: “We have to do it.”

‘But Pep, blah blah blah” [Klopp complained]. “We have to do it.”

‘Until I was so sick of it that I went to Jurgen in this office and said, “Jurgen, next year you can f****** have all my f****** salary. If we don’t do it in the next game, it’s done for me. I can’t.

‘We need the extra player, we need Trent there. I tell you it will work, it will work.’

Klopp eventually yielded to the pressure from his assistant following a disappointing 2022-2 campaign that saw the side finish fifth in the Premier League. The Reds improved in their final season under Klopp, finishing third and winning the Carabao Cup. 

Alexander-Arnold’s role would evolve once more with the arrival of Arne Slot, who has required the 26-year-old to adopt a more orthodox full-back role.