“They don’t owe me anything” — Pep Lijnders on Liverpool

In an exclusive extended interview with Liverpoolfc.com at the AXA Training Centre, Pep Lijnders, assistant manager of Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp’s management team, revealed the reasons behind his decision to leave the club at the end of the season.

Pep Lijnders, who has been with Liverpool for a decade, emphasized that the timing was right, and it was a mutual decision between him and manager Jürgen Klopp.

“It’s not easy, leaving such a club. But in life, I feel always you have to do the right thing and the right thing means that in the summer we said we continue and we go with all we have, we make it ‘the Last Dance,’ we make it like a proper ending,” said Lijnders.

He expressed gratitude towards the club and its ownership for the support, stating,

“I owe this club everything. They don’t owe me anything, to be honest. It’s 10 years full of dedication.”

Lijnders highlighted that the decision was made with the full backing of the ownership and was aimed at going back to basics.

“No negativity: I said it as a joke in pre-season that everybody who is or shows one sign of negativity, I will punch them in the head! Just to make sure that we go and draw a line, we go with a clean sheet,” he joked.

Reflecting on his relationship with Klopp, Lijnders described it as more than a professional one.

“Yeah, he’s more than a colleague of course. He’s a friend, a brother, a proper football brother I think. We’ve been through a lot here: good times, bad times,” he shared.

When asked about his future, Lijnders expressed his desire to go into management and continue giving joy and emotions to the fans.

“I hope I can give the same emotions and the same joy to the fans in the future, to the new club. I really believe that it’s a natural progression,” he stated.

As for the players’ reaction to the news, Lijnders said,

“Yeah, absolutely. They are… you have players who have been here for how long? Eight years probably. Players who came through the Academy, they live this club.”

Lijnders concluded the interview by expressing his deep connection to the club and the fans.

“The project was so strong – a big compliment to the whole structure, from the sporting directors we had, from the ownership of course. It’s sad that we are leaving but I’m really proud that we are part of the history now of this club.”

The assistant manager, known for his tactical acumen and contributions to Liverpool’s recent successes, looks forward to a new chapter in his career.

Pep Lijnders prior to the announcement of his departure, had faced heavy criticisms last season after publishing his book “Intensity”, which revealed key insights into the Liverpool set up during the 2021/22 season.