Man City confirm appointment of former Liverpool assistant coach Pep Lijnders
Manchester City have appointed long-time Jurgen Klopp ally Pep Lijnders into their backrooom staff as two former Liverpool coaches join forces with Pep Guardiola.
Lijnders was instrumental in Klopp's Liverpool setup that went toe-to-toe with Guardiola between 2018 and 2022, helping guide the Reds to their first Premier League title in 30 years in 2020 as well as a Champions League in 2019.
But after a short-lived stint in management at RB Salzburg, Lijnders has returned to the Premier League, only at the team he formerly considered a rival.
He is joined by opposition analyst James French, who has been directly poached from Liverpool.
At the close of the 2024/25 season, City underwent a notable backroom reshuffle. Long-serving assistants Juan Manuel Lillo, Inigo Dominguez, and set piece coach Carlos Vicens departed, leaving some prominent gaps in Guardiola's managerial setup.
Lijnders acts to fill one of those voids, arriving at the Etihad with a decorated resume and extensive elite-level coaching experience. It's the first assistant manager role he has taken up since departing Liverpool alongside Jurgen Klopp in 2024.
The Dutchman's involvement in elite title-winning environments will align seamlessly with City's possession-based style and ambition for glory as they seek to rebuild following an underwhelming trophyless campaign.
Meanwhile, James French moves from Merseyside to become a similarly integral member of City's coaching setup, also armed with vast Premier League experience.
The 37-year-old began his career at Swansea before working for the Welsh FA. Now, he arrives directly from Liverpool's backroom staff, where he spent over a decade.
French's dedicated oversight will look to ensure that marginal gains are optimised to give City a tactical edge, something they apparently lacked as they drifted away from the title race last term.
Both coaches will be bled into Guardiola's setup in time for the Club World Cup, which starts on June 14.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South Wales Argus
36 minutes ago
- South Wales Argus
David Beckham ‘immensely proud' of knighthood in King's Birthday Honours
The sports star, who celebrated his 50th birthday last month, is being honoured for services to sport and charity. Sir David said in a statement to the PA news agency: 'Growing up in East London with parents and grandparents who were so patriotic and proud to be British I never could have imagined I would receive such a truly humbling honour. 'To have played for and captained my country was the greatest privilege of my career and literally a boyhood dream come true. Sir David is an ambassador for the King's Foundation (Chris Ratcliffe/PA) 'Off the pitch I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to represent Britain around the world and work with incredible organisations that are supporting communities in need and inspiring the next generation. 'I'm so lucky to be able to do the work that I do and I'm grateful to be recognised for work that gives me so much fulfilment. It will take a little while for the news to sink in but I'm immensely proud and it's such an emotional moment for me to share with my family.' Sir David married his wife Victoria in 1999 and the couple share four children together – Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz and Harper. He had been set on becoming a professional footballer as a child and as a teenager he joined Manchester United as a trainee, forming part of the class of '92 that won the FA Youth Cup, along with Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville. The sports star from north east London made his Premier League debut for United in 1995 and was part of the team that earned a dramatic Champions League final victory in 1999 when they beat Bayern Munich with two late goals. In total he scored 85 goals and collected honours including six Premier League titles and two FA Cups as a footballer, before retiring from the sport in 2013. Alongside his football career Sir David has supported a number of charity causes and launched a fundraising appeal for Unicef in April ahead of his milestone 50th birthday. David Beckham after being made OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) (Fiona Hanson/PA) He has served as a Goodwill Ambassador for humanitarian aid organisation Unicef since 2005 and is a founding member of the charity Malaria No More UK's leadership council. Philip Goodwin, Unicef UK chief executive said: 'We're so thrilled that our Unicef Goodwill Ambassador, David Beckham, has been awarded a knighthood in the King's Birthday Honours. 'David Beckham has done an incredible amount to advocate for children's rights over the last 20 years. 'He became a Goodwill Ambassador in 2005 and launched 7: The David Beckham Unicef Fund in 2015 – with the goal of helping children around the world, especially girls, break down barriers including bullying, violence, child marriage and missed education. 'He's travelled extensively to see Unicef's work and used his profile to raise awareness, as well as support our flagship fundraising campaign Soccer Aid for Unicef and launch global fundraising appeals.' Last year the former sports star, who has described himself as a 'huge Royalist', was named an ambassador for the King's Foundation, an educational charity established by the King in 1990. The King hosted Sir David and Lady Victoria at his Gloucestershire estate (Finnbarr Webster/PA) In February Sir David appeared in a video helping to launch the hunt for '35 under 35', a network of influencers who can fly the flag for the charity which reflects Charles' vision. He is also known for his stylish clothing choices, and in 1998 was named most stylish man of the year by GQ magazine and he has modelled for the likes of H&M, Armani and Boss. In 2018 he was appointed Ambassadorial President of the British Fashion Council where he assisted the BFC in its search for young British talent from all backgrounds. His wife, Victoria, turned her hand to fashion designing after her time in the Spice Girls and Sir David and their four children are often spotted at her shows. Sir David is currently a part-owner of MLS side Inter Miami, and is also the co-founder of Studio 99, the production company behind the hit Netflix series Beckham. He was formerly appointed an officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2003.
Glasgow Times
an hour ago
- Glasgow Times
David Beckham ‘immensely proud' of knighthood in King's Birthday Honours
The sports star, who celebrated his 50th birthday last month, is being honoured for services to sport and charity. Sir David said in a statement to the PA news agency: 'Growing up in East London with parents and grandparents who were so patriotic and proud to be British I never could have imagined I would receive such a truly humbling honour. 'To have played for and captained my country was the greatest privilege of my career and literally a boyhood dream come true. Sir David is an ambassador for the King's Foundation (Chris Ratcliffe/PA) 'Off the pitch I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to represent Britain around the world and work with incredible organisations that are supporting communities in need and inspiring the next generation. 'I'm so lucky to be able to do the work that I do and I'm grateful to be recognised for work that gives me so much fulfilment. It will take a little while for the news to sink in but I'm immensely proud and it's such an emotional moment for me to share with my family.' Sir David married his wife Victoria in 1999 and the couple share four children together – Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz and Harper. He had been set on becoming a professional footballer as a child and as a teenager he joined Manchester United as a trainee, forming part of the class of '92 that won the FA Youth Cup, along with Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville. The sports star from north east London made his Premier League debut for United in 1995 and was part of the team that earned a dramatic Champions League final victory in 1999 when they beat Bayern Munich with two late goals. In total he scored 85 goals and collected honours including six Premier League titles and two FA Cups as a footballer, before retiring from the sport in 2013. Alongside his football career Sir David has supported a number of charity causes and launched a fundraising appeal for Unicef in April ahead of his milestone 50th birthday. David Beckham after being made OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) (Fiona Hanson/PA) He has served as a Goodwill Ambassador for humanitarian aid organisation Unicef since 2005 and is a founding member of the charity Malaria No More UK's leadership council. Philip Goodwin, Unicef UK chief executive said: 'We're so thrilled that our Unicef Goodwill Ambassador, David Beckham, has been awarded a knighthood in the King's Birthday Honours. 'David Beckham has done an incredible amount to advocate for children's rights over the last 20 years. 'He became a Goodwill Ambassador in 2005 and launched 7: The David Beckham Unicef Fund in 2015 – with the goal of helping children around the world, especially girls, break down barriers including bullying, violence, child marriage and missed education. 'He's travelled extensively to see Unicef's work and used his profile to raise awareness, as well as support our flagship fundraising campaign Soccer Aid for Unicef and launch global fundraising appeals.' Last year the former sports star, who has described himself as a 'huge Royalist', was named an ambassador for the King's Foundation, an educational charity established by the King in 1990. The King hosted Sir David and Lady Victoria at his Gloucestershire estate (Finnbarr Webster/PA) In February Sir David appeared in a video helping to launch the hunt for '35 under 35', a network of influencers who can fly the flag for the charity which reflects Charles' vision. He is also known for his stylish clothing choices, and in 1998 was named most stylish man of the year by GQ magazine and he has modelled for the likes of H&M, Armani and Boss. In 2018 he was appointed Ambassadorial President of the British Fashion Council where he assisted the BFC in its search for young British talent from all backgrounds. His wife, Victoria, turned her hand to fashion designing after her time in the Spice Girls and Sir David and their four children are often spotted at her shows. Sir David is currently a part-owner of MLS side Inter Miami, and is also the co-founder of Studio 99, the production company behind the hit Netflix series Beckham. He was formerly appointed an officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2003.
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Welcome to the Gallagher Prem: English rugby's top flight rebrands and targets US
Premiership Rugby has rebranded England's top division as the Gallagher Prem as part of a wide-ranging reboot that includes plans to take a fixture to the United States in the coming years and kicking off next season on a Thursday night. Unperturbed by the existential threat posed by the R360 breakaway league, PRL on Saturday relaunches the Premiership on the day that Bath face Leicester in the final at Twickenham. The change comes after widespread consultation with players including the England and Northampton full-back George Furbank and the Bath prop Beno Obano, with PRL executives stating it reflects 'how fans talk' and seeks to 'unashamedly celebrate intensity, physicality, grit and extreme athleticism'. The rebrand – the first time the league has changed name since 1997 – is also designed to underline PRL's intentions to start a new chapter after recent years have been plagued by financial turmoil with Worcester, Wasps and London Irish all going bust. Executives point to how the number of sellouts has risen from 18 to 30 this season while a new broadcast deal with TNT has been signed and, as exclusively revealed by the Guardian, Red Bull has agreed a deal to buy Newcastle Falcons. Plans for a franchise league also continue apace amid consultation with Deloitte and Raine Group over further investment. Emboldened as a result, a return to the US is likely. In 2016, Saracens and London Irish locked horns in New York and a year later Newcastle and Saracens squared off in Philadelphia. Neither fixture moved the dial – only 6,000 attended the latter – but, with the US hosting the Rugby World Cup in 2031, there is a collective attempt among powerbrokers to capitalise. England are playing a Test against the USA in Washington in July while the All Blacks will meet Ireland in Chicago at Solider Field in the autumn in a rematch of their historic meeting in 2016. It is understood that the British & Irish Lions turned down the chance to play their warm-up match against Argentina next week in Las Vegas but a well-placed source has told the Guardian that playing a fixture in the US on the way to New Zealand in 2029 is likely. PRL's title sponsor, Gallagher, is based in Chicago and celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2027. Harlequins (Twickenham), Saracens (Tottenham Hotspur Stadium) and Bristol (Principality Stadium) have all staged matches away from their regular homes this season to great success. Asked about taking fixtures abroad, and if a return to the States was a prospect, the Premiership Rugby chief executive, Simon Massie-Taylor, said: 'Yeah, but you need to do it strategically. The obvious point is the US and we've had US games before and they've been flash in the pans, at the wrong time of the season, in the wrong area, in the wrong stadiums with the wrong teams. But there is an opportunity in the buildup to the 2031 World Cup, we've also got a US partner who are coming up to their 100th anniversary. 'It needs to lead to something. It's about maxing out what we've got domestically first, which is why sell-outs are so important. That needs to continue for these big games to exist, and then you start moving beyond your shores.' Sign up to The Breakdown The latest rugby union news and analysis, plus all the week's action reviewed after newsletter promotion Of the rebrand, Premiership Rugby's chief growth officer, Rob Calder, said: 'This is not formal, corporate or traditional. It's got grit, just like our competition. It's a physical contest that showcases power, pace and incredible skill under pressure, so we are unashamedly going to talk about physicality, intensity, extreme athleticism and the grit of top-flight rugby. 'This is about big hits, it's intense, it's full contact and it's unflinching. We know this works as we've spoken to the players, and the things they've said in the process are 'promote the players. Show the game, the aggression, the gladiatorial nature of the game, and give the brand the intensity to match'.' PRL chiefs have also confirmed that next season is set to start on a Thursday, two days before the women's World Cup final, in an effort to avoid a clash with the Twickenham showpiece. It is likely to be a one-off in the short-term but, with next year's Six Nations also starting on a Thursday at the request of broadcasters, midweek matches could become a more regular feature further down the line. Officials have also revealed that they intend to trial away sections at more matches next season after doing so at Saracens and Leicester in April.
