Manchester City’s outgoing coach Pep Lijnders is leaving the club after a year in order to spend more time with his family. The Dutchman was a surprise arrival at the Etihad Stadium last summer as he linked up with Pep Guardiola.
His switch to Manchester came after a stunning period with Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool – where the Reds competed with City to lift the Premier League.
But with Guardiola bringing his decade-long spell at the club to an end this summer, Lijnders has decided to follow him out of the exit door and he has now explained the reason why he turned down an extended stay.
Speaking to AD, he said: “My wife and I want a permanent place for our growing sons. Moving back to England for years is no longer an option.
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“Without my family, I wouldn’t do a second year anyway. The club wanted to move forward, offered me a position on a new manager’s staff, or the chance to become head coach at a foreign club within the City Football Group.”
Explaining how his move to City originally came about, Lijnders added: “When Pep called in May last year, he was immediately open. He said: ‘I want to build a new City one more time’.
“He knew how Jürgen and I worked together at Liverpool and had Klopp’s blessing to sound me out. He also said that he was in the final two years of his contract. ‘So it’s not about a long-term project. Is that a problem for you?’
“Guardiola was looking for three things specifically. A coach by his side who would challenge him with fresh ideas, a more aggressive playing style to survive in the increasingly physical Premier League, and innovation on the training pitch.
View 2 ImagesLijnders helped City to two trophies during his time at the club(Image: Getty Images)
“He is very intense. Every day we were busy from morning until evening. He approaches creating a match plan like a surgeon performs heart surgery: extremely meticulously, checking every vital part with tweezers. And, just like Klopp, he has genuine love for his players. That, that love, is what distinguishes the absolute top coaches from the rest.”
Lijnders, now 43, started his coaching career with PSV and Porto before a move to Liverpool in 2014. He spent four years with the club before taking a job with Dutch side NEC Nijmegen.
After just six months, he returned to Liverpool and was a crucial part of the coaching team under Klopp. He left for a second time in 2024 and was then appointed manager of Red Bull Salzburg.
That role lasted for just 29 games. Lijnders was only out of work for six months ahead of his shock move to Man City, where he helped the club to the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.
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