Former Liverpool assistant manager Pepijn Lijnders has been dismissed from his role as head coach of Red Bull Salzburg after just six months in charge.
Lijnders, who took over the Austrian club in May 2024, initially led the team to three consecutive league victories. However, subsequent performances declined, with Salzburg securing only four wins in the following 13 matches. This downturn left the team fifth in the Austrian Bundesliga, trailing leaders SK Sturm Graz by ten points.
Despite a recent 3-0 victory over SK Austria Klagenfurt, the club’s management cited “unsatisfactory performances” as the primary reason for Lijnders’ departure. Salzburg also struggled in the UEFA Champions League, losing five out of six matches and finishing 32nd in the competition.
In a joint statement, CEO Stephan Reiter and Sporting Director Rouven Schröder expressed the need for a fresh start:
“We recently began a planned review of what has been a disappointing season so far. It became evident that our performances in many matches have fallen short of expectations. We concluded that the team requires a fresh impulse under new leadership, despite hoping for improvement until the very end.”
The club is now actively searching for a new coach, aiming to have someone in place when training resumes on January 3, 2025.
This development coincides with Jürgen Klopp’s upcoming role as Red Bull’s head of global soccer, set to commence in January 2025. Klopp, who previously worked alongside Lijnders at Liverpool, will oversee multiple clubs within the Red Bull network, including Salzburg.
Lijnders’ departure marks his second managerial stint ending prematurely, following a brief tenure with NEC Nijmegen in 2018. His return to Liverpool as an assistant coach later that year was part of a successful period for the club, including winning the UEFA Champions League in 2019 and the Premier League in 2020.
**Pepijn Lijnders’ dismissal from Red Bull Salzburg** marks a difficult chapter in the Dutch coach’s managerial career. Despite a promising start, the sharp decline in form, particularly in domestic results and Salzburg’s poor UEFA Champions League campaign, ultimately sealed his fate. Salzburg’s decision highlights their high expectations for consistent performances, especially as the dominant force in Austrian football.
The timing of Lijnders’ departure is significant, as it comes just before **Jürgen Klopp’s role as Red Bull’s head of global soccer** begins in January 2025. Klopp’s arrival adds an intriguing layer, considering his close working relationship with Lijnders during their successful tenure at Liverpool. It raises speculation about whether Klopp’s role influenced Salzburg’s decision, as the club seeks fresh leadership to steady their season.
For Lijnders, this dismissal—coming after his previous short-lived spell with NEC Nijmegen—underscores the challenges of transitioning from a successful assistant manager to a head coach. However, his coaching pedigree and achievements alongside Klopp at Liverpool will likely keep him on the radar for future opportunities, potentially back in a supporting role or at a club seeking fresh tactical ideas.
Meanwhile, Red Bull Salzburg’s search for a new head coach will be closely watched, as they aim to recover momentum and reassert dominance in the Austrian Bundesliga while rebuilding their European reputation.
