8 months ago
124 Liverpool are currently on the lookout for a new manager to replace Jurgen Klopp at the end of the season.
A number of coaches have been linked with a move to Anfield, including Xabi Alonso and Ruben Amorim.
There has also been talk about Liverpool assistant Pep Lijnders potentially earning a promotion to the first-team manager’s job.
For instance, talkSPORT’s Alan Brazil recently claimed that the Reds players would welcome the prospect of the 41-year-old taking the reins.
However, there hasn’t been any concrete speculation on this front, and Liverpool-leaning journalist Neil Jones has now played down the prospect of Lijnders replacing Klopp.
The reporter, writing on CaughtOffside, doesn’t believe “there’s any chance Lijnders will get the top job at this stage”.
Pep Lijnders not quite ready for Liverpool manager’s job
Although Jones stresses that Lijnders is a “big figure” at Liverpool and his coaching credentials are “excellent”, he suggested that the Dutchman isn’t quite ready to make that step yet.
“There has again been some talk of Pep Lijnders being an option to replace Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool manager, but I would take that talk with a hefty pinch of salt,” Jones wrote on CaughtOffside.
“I don’t think there’s any chance Lijnders will get the top job at this stage, and nor should he either.
“If we are questioning the experience of Xabi Alonso, Ruben Amorim or Roberto De Zerbi, then we have to do the same with Lijnders, whose senior managerial career amounts to a few months at NEC Nijmegen.
“There’s no question that he is a big figure, day-to-day, at Liverpool, and his coaching credentials are excellent.
“But I think even he would accept that if he is looking to re-start his career as a head coach, he needs to go and prove himself elsewhere before stepping into the big job on Merseyside.
“I expect to see him in the dugout somewhere next season, just not at Anfield.”
TBR View
Lijnders is a great coach, there is no doubt about that, but him becoming permanent manager at Liverpool might be a step too far at this stage.
Most of the 41-year-old’s experience so far has been as an assistant, save for a four-and-a-half month spell at NEC Nijmegen back in 2018.
Lijnders has been linked with Ajax, which would be a great role for him to cut his teeth at managerial level and make a name for himself as a head coach.
Considering what a big job it’ll be to replace the legendary Klopp, the next manager needs to have experience of doing well in a huge league and winning major trophies.
The post 'I don't think there's any chance': 41-year-old now very unlikely to replace Klopp at Liverpool - journalist appeared first on TBR Football.
