Pep Lijnders’ Departure from Manchester City
Pep Lijnders, the former assistant manager of Liverpool and a key figure in Pep Guardiola’s coaching team, has left Manchester City. This move follows several other departures, including Kolo Toure, Lorenzo Buenaventura, Manel Estiarte, and Xabi Mancisidor. With Enzo Maresca set to take over as manager, he is expected to bring in his own backroom staff.
Lijnders, a Dutchman, was known for his role in assisting Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool before joining City in the summer of 2023 after being convinced by Guardiola. His decision to leave came after considering the long-term implications for his family, who are now based in the Netherlands.
In an interview with the Dutch publication AD, Lijnders shared his thoughts on the decision: “My wife and I want a permanent place for our growing sons. Moving back to England for years is no longer an option.” He added that without his family, he wouldn’t have considered staying for another year. The club offered him a position on a new manager’s staff or the opportunity to become head coach at a foreign club within the City Football Group.
A Short Tenure at Manchester City
Lijnders’ time at Manchester City lasted less than a year. He revealed more about how he was persuaded to join the club and the specific demands made by Guardiola. According to Lijnders, when Guardiola called him in May last year, he was immediately open to the idea. “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.”
Guardiola also mentioned 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?” Lijnders recalled. 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.
The Intensity of Guardiola’s Approach
Lijnders described Guardiola’s approach as 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.” He also highlighted Guardiola’s genuine love for his players, which he believes sets the absolute top coaches apart from the rest.
Other Departing Staff Members
Alongside Lijnders, several other members of the coaching staff have also left Manchester City. Kolo Toure, a former Arsenal star, joined Guardiola’s coaching staff last season after working with City’s development teams. He has previously managed Wigan and assisted Brendan Rodgers at Leicester.
Lorenzo Buenaventura, the fitness coach, had worked with Guardiola at Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and City. Manel Estiarte has been with the Spaniard as head of operations at all three clubs, while Xabi Mancisidor, the head of goalkeeping, joined City in 2013 under Manuel Pellegrini and remained throughout Guardiola’s tenure.
Final Thoughts
Manchester City expressed their gratitude to the departing staff members. “Everyone at City would like to thank all five members of staff for their hard work and dedication and wish them the very best of luck in the future.” As the club prepares for a new era under Maresca, the legacy of the previous coaching team will be remembered.
