Pep Lijnders broke Jurgen Klopp promise after leaving Liverpool and joining Manchester City
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SportFootballLiverpool FCPep Lijnders was one of Jurgen Klopp's closest colleagues but he broke the promise he made the former Reds bossPep Lijnders went back on the promise he made Jurgen Klopp by becoming a key confidant of Pep Guardiola. The ex-Liverpool coach left Anfield alongside the German at the end of the 2023/24 season.Once again making the venture into head coaching, the Dutchman signed a three-year deal at RB Salzburg in May 2024 but lasted just seven months after he was sacked shortly before the turn of the year.Opting to stay out of football until next summer, Lijnders' next role stunned the Liverpool fanbase as he joined Manchester City to become one of Guardiola's assistant managers, alongside former City and Liverpool defender Kolo Toure.In deciding to join forces with the legendary Spaniard who labelled Klopp as his greatest-ever rival, Lijnders broke the promise he made to Klopp.
I always said I will finish with Jurgen (Klopp); the moment I will not assist anyone else, that’s the moment I will go and I will manage. I cannot say thank you enough to everybody involved."Prior to City's 2-1 win over Liverpool in February, Guardiola opened up about his decision to hire Lijnders, admitting he felt an instant connection with the Dutchman.
The City boss said: "I had a lot of info from other people about him who had been trained or managed by him at Liverpool."I needed to refresh myself first with new people who have incredible knowledge about the game and the Premier League and I love a lot many things that he did with Jurgen at Liverpool."We talked one day, I think we felt connected immediately. A domestic cup double is still on the cards with City hosting Liverpool on Saturday in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.It'll be Lijnders on the touchline managing City as he aims to knock his ex-club out of the competition with Guardiola serving a two-match ban.England's 2026 World Cup kitsThis article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it.