Pep Lijnders reveals the truth about Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool exit, the ‘bronzed’ pictures his old boss sends him and his son’s jibes about Salzburg switch

Described by some as the brains of the Jurgen Klopp operation, the German’s former right-hand man Pepijn Lijnders is a good talker with a catalogue of insightful tales to tell.

He was once criticised for speaking too much, in fact, when his book Intensity was accused of spilling secrets about Liverpool due to its unfortunately-timed publish date coinciding with a dip in form across Klopp’s penultimate campaign.

But when asked for his thoughts on the new man that now sits in Klopp’s old seat, Lijnders refrains from his usual detailed answers to keep it short and sweet. ‘Very, very, very, very good,’ he says on Arne Slot, smirking.

Lijnders has been keeping a keen eye on his compatriot and acquaintance since he joined Klopp in leaving Anfield last summer – and likes what he sees. When he gets time, that is, to watch his old club alongside his new gig and daily picture message exchanges with Klopp.

The 41-year-old is talking to Mail Sport from his new office as Red Bull Salzburg boss in a wide-ranging interview touching on why it was right to leave Anfield, why he is an adopted Scouser and how his new employers managed to poach one of the Reds’ best young talents.

Lijnders was Jurgen Klopp’s long-term assistant at Liverpool, with the pair forming a formidable partnership

Lijnders has been very impressed with Arne Slot’s start to life at Anfield after replacing Klopp

‘There has been a lot said already about our exit but the main thing I would like to add is that we really wanted to leave the club in the right way,’ says Lijnders. ‘Announce it early so they have the time to find the right guys, it is not easy to find a coach of the calibre of Liverpool.

‘What is happening now with Arne, doing the job he is doing… wow, it makes me really grateful. I feel blessed to see it, the way the club is doing and performing on a really high level. Certain players are flourishing and making the next steps.

‘That was the whole idea of us leaving early, so this could happen and the club can continue to grow. I owe Liverpool everything. I owe the fans and players everything. It was my life. For 10 years, it was the only thing I thought about.

‘All I wanted was to be successful. When I woke up and went to bed, Liverpool was on my mind – even on holidays. It is really nice to see how healthy the club is. Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley would be proud.’

Klopp too would be proud at how Lijnders’ Salzburg team scored two goals in as many minutes – 84 and 86 – to win on Saturday against Altach, a team managed by Reds star Dominik Szoboszlai’s former boss when in the Austrian second tier funnily enough, Fabio Ingolitsch.

The late comeback embodied the ‘Mentality Monsters’ slogan that Klopp coined at Anfield. ‘We are still in contact a lot – messaging, calling, sending videos,’ adds Lijnders. ‘Most pictures I get of Jurgen, he is working out! Sweating or playing paddle or in the gym… always with friends.

‘I am really happy he has time to really take care of his family – you know how for managers there is no time, you play every three days. Now he has every three hours to have a free mind. As a coach you are thinking 24/7 about what is best for the team.

‘You can see it in his face – he looks bronzed! That’s always a good sign, right? Our relationship is really strong. We know we can trust each other. We have a lot of loyalty. If you work that closely for that long, it is important to be able to count on each other.

Lijnders and Klopp wanted to leave Liverpool in a strong position and remain in contact

Bob Paisley (right) famously continued Bill Shankly’s (left) success after replacing him at Liverpool, and Lijnders hopes Slot can follow in Klopp’s footsteps

‘In life, you meet many people, that relationship has to grow when things happen, good or bad. When you get tested, you need to know you have each other’s word. Our relationship goes beyond football.’

The Dutchman took several Liverpool staffers with him to the beautiful city of Salzburg, including his assistant Vitor Matos. He also managed to poach highly-rated teenager Bobby Clark, the son of Lee Clark who excelled at times for the first team last year, plus Stefan Bajcetic on loan. 

‘Bobby is so young but everything about him, it breathes ATTACK!,’ says Lijnders, banging his fist to emphasise the point. ‘It suits this club a lot… we say, “We are the crazy guys from Salzburg”. He is a bit crazy as well.

‘He wants to score, wants to create, he is a typical English player… unpredictable on the ball. We love that he was interested in playing for me and Vitor, that’s really cool. It is not easy to sign the best talents but with him, we got one.’

So, after turning down a long list of clubs to move to Austria, can Lijnders go it alone? He previously tried in a short stint with NAC Breda. Early results have been mixed, though he will have the backing of Klopp when he assumes his role as Red Bull’s head of football in January.

There is a giant sign reading ‘fußball von morgen’ on the front of their Red Bull Arena – funnily enough Liverpool will play at another Red Bull Arena on Wednesday night, in Leipzig – with pictures of a young Erling Haaland and Szoboszlai among others. It feels apt for his ethos.

‘When we were discussing, Jurgen and I, what would be the best next step, I had a lot of meetings and phone calls from clubs calling me,’ says Lijnders. ‘But I said first of all I wanted the club to have a strong academy and a good scouting process. Salzburg speaks for itself.

‘The city is beautiful in terms of history and culture. Above everything Salzburg breathes what they say in our slogan ‘football for tomorrow’. I want to play a style where young talents can make the next step, or push to make the next step, to give joy and emotions to the fans.

Bobby Clark joined Lijnders at Salzburg after coming through the ranks at Liverpool

Stefan Bajcetic is also working under Lijnders are securing a loan move away from Anfield

Lijnders is now trying to prove he can succeed as a manager, and has the full backing of his son

‘I did my cruciate at 18 and had to give up on playing. From one side, your world collapses. But from the other side, I saw it as an opportunity. So I started studying Johan Cruyff and Ariggo Sacchi.

‘I had the privilege to grow up in Holland so we got smashed from all sides with books on Cruyff! The orange colour, the 3-4-3 formation… that touched me when I was young. He was my idol, everything with the No 14 was mine, I was this kind of guy… everything.

‘But I am realistic – even if my boy is not… my god! You know that fan who went viral, “I don’t do ifs, buts and maybes, I do absolutes?” My boy sounds just like that – he is a Scouser! He never knew anything else but winning at Liverpool from Jurgen, me and the others.

‘I told him, “Listen, daddy is going to a club where it will not be as successful as Liverpool… hopefully but maybe not!”. After the Champions League draw when all our fixtures came through, he said, “Daddy, you can win this competition!”. Maybe in the old club but not here.’