Latest news with #Kuyt
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Pep Lijnders and former Liverpool defender 'considered' to join Pep Guardiola staff at Man City
Former Liverpool assistant coach Pep Lijnders has supposedly emerged as a candidate to join Manchester City's coaching staff under Pep Guardiola this summer, alongside Kolo Toure. Guardiola is set to lose Juanma Lillo, Inigo Dominguez and Carlos Vicens and therefore a new appointment will be required. Lijnders has been without a job since he was fired by Red Bull Salzburg at the end of 2024, and Fabrizio Romano says he is under consideration. Toure, who played for both Manchester City and Liverpool during his career, has moved into coaching since he retired. He was Wigan Athletic manager for a year and has since returned to the Etihad Stadium to work with the academy teams. READ MORE: Liverpool 'earmarks first sale' after Florian Wirtz transfer is sealed READ MORE: Liverpool transfer news LIVE — Wirtz phone call, Kerkez 'says yes', Diaz to Al-Nassr Lijnders was linked with the vacancy at Norwich City in the Championship earlier this month. He has tried being a manager a couple of times and it hasn't worked but he was a big part of Liverpool's success under Jurgen Klopp. Arne Slot is also set to lose a coach this summer with John Heitinga, the former Everton midfielder who joined him at Anfield last summer, seemingly heading to Ajax. The Dutch giant is searching for a replacement for Francesco Farioli. Heitinga has been in charge of Ajax previously. He was at the helm for a caretaker spell in 2023. Though he got the team performing well, no permanent contract offer was presented. Maurice Steijn was chosen ahead of Heitinga at the time, but he was fired after two wins in 11 games. Now, the Ajax hierarchy would like to bring Heitinga in with Marcel Keizer alongside him. "If Ajax would be smart they would consider [Heitinga]," Slot said recently. "He is ready to take on a job like that. If John is smart, he would stay here one more season." Yesterday, Football Insider claimed that Dirk Kuyt is an option to join Slot's staff in place of Heitinga. The former Netherlands international made 285 appearances during his time at Anfield under Rafa Benitez. Now aged 44, Kuyt has been coaching in Belgium with the second-tier side Beerschot. He guided it to promotion in 2023/24. However, his other managerial stint, in charge of ADO Den Haag in his homeland, was not as successful. Kuyt lasted less than five months there before parting ways. "For Arne to win the Premier League in his first season in charge will be something no one will ever forget," Kuyt told The Athletic in March. "It took such a long time for Liverpool to win the championship. "And then when it happened last time it was a bad time for people all over the world, but especially for Liverpool supporters because they couldn't enjoy the success properly. "I was really happy when Arne joined Liverpool because I knew what he was capable of after doing so well at Feyenoord. But nobody expected it to go this well, besides maybe Arne himself. He's managed to build on Jurgen's achievements and do it his way."
Telegraph
02-04-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Dirk Kuyt interview: Thank God there was no VAR for my flying tackle on Phil Neville
Jimmy Case on Geoff Nulty. Steven Gerrard on Gary Naysmith. Jordan Pickford on Virgil van Dijk. The Merseyside derby is no stranger to memorable challenges, but Dirk Kuyt's flying tackle on Phil Neville in 2007 might just take top spot. Tempers were running high after a controversial penalty to Liverpool, which Kuyt slotted past Everton's Tim Howard in the 54th minute, and things were soon taken up a notch by the Dutchman 10 minutes later. As Neville went to clear a loose ball, Kuyt careered towards him, leaping into the air with both legs outstretched in a fashion more reminiscent of a scissor kick than a tackle. — Proper footy vids (@properfootyvids) July 22, 2019 Somehow, Neville avoided the majority of contact and, somehow, Kuyt was only awarded a yellow card by Mark Clattenburg. Kuyt would go on to score his second penalty of the game in the last minute to secure a famous 2-1 win and secure his place in Merseyside folklore. Kuyt tells Telegraph Sport: 'I was very lucky to come away from that because if I had a red card, I would not have managed to score the winning goal. It's crazy when you play these kinds of games because there's a lot of adrenalin, a lot of emotion. You want to fight so hard for your shirt, you want to give everything and manage whatever needs to be done. 'I flew through the air and thank God there was no VAR there at the time. When I was in the air, I knew I was way too late and I was on the point of doing something crazy. I tried to hold my legs inside me just to be lucky not to touch him. I think I was very lucky not to get the red card.' That was also the consensus at the time, but only added to his reputation amongst the red side of Liverpool when the winner followed. Kuyt joined Liverpool in 2006 and went on to make nearly 300 appearances for the club, forging a reputation for hard work and being the ultimate team player by covering a variety of positions. #OTD in 2007: Liverpool fall behind in the derby but come from behind to win 2-1 thanks to two Dirk Kuyt penalties - including one in injury time. Everton are reduced to nine men with Tony Hibbert and Phil Neville controversially sent off — Liverpool On This Day (@OnThisDayReds) October 20, 2024 Now 44, Kuyt returned to Anfield just over a week ago to play in a legends match to raise money for the Liverpool Foundation. A Peter Crouch double helped a Liverpool side containing Steven Gerrard to a 2-0 win over Chelsea. And Kuyt got quite the reception. Crouchy's back with a brilliant brace 🫶 Enjoy highlights from #Legends2025 as the Reds secured a 2-0 victory over Chelsea 🔴 @AXA | #Ad — Liverpool FC (@LFC) March 22, 2025 'I think everyone who has been a Liverpool player, or been involved in any situation, like a coach, is part of a big family. One thing I really like about Liverpool is that you always get so respected and the people will remember you for ever,' Kuyt explains. ' For me, the best moment was reaching the Champions League final in 2007. We had many special nights at Anfield playing the Champions League, but that semi-final we played against Chelsea, when [Jose] Mourinho was the coach and [Rafael] Benítez was ours, was something really special. 'We lost our first game at Stamford Bridge 1-0 and we had to win the game at least 1-0 with the away [goals] situation, so we couldn't concede or else we had to score two goals or more. 'We managed to win that game on a very special night with the crowd fully behind us. We won the game 1-0 in 90 minutes then I scored an onside goal, which was given offside, in extra time. Finally I had the privilege to score the winning penalty which got us to the final. To be part of that night and a very special campaign was unforgettable.' Another Merseyside derby will take place on Wednesday and, flying tackle aside, Kuyt looks back on those games especially fondly. 'For the city and for the supporters, it means so much, so these were the best games to play for me. The Liverpool-Everton derby, or the game with Manchester United. They were the biggest games in the league,' says Kuyt. 'They were tough games and there was a lot of tension in the stadium. But I have good memories at Goodison Park, because I scored many goals there. There's a lot of tension on and off the pitch, but once the game is over there is respect for each other. And that's how football should be. It's a war for 90 minutes, and after you shake hands and life goes on.' Kuyt is now in the early days of a managerial career. He is currently in charge of Belgian side Beerschot, who he led back into the top division last season. However, their relegation was confirmed last weekend. 'That promotion is something I'm really proud of in my early stages as a manager, but we have now been relegated and that feels very tough,' says Kuyt. 'Losing is never nice. But seeing the circumstances, what the players did and the supporters who stood behind us from the first minute until the last, I think we did everything we could. In football, sometimes you need more than to be successful. It was a challenging year and, although it feels very hard at the moment, it is a very good experience which will only help me become better as a coach.' The former Dutch international admits he has found coaching harder than he expected. 'It's very challenging and I think to be a coach is something totally different than being a football player,' he says. 'I love to be working with young people who want to be their best possible self. I love to still be involved in football. I always said that being a football player is living the dream and, after you retire, you want to come as close to that feeling. 'You're just one step away from being on the pitch. The only other thing I could do is be a referee, but I like to stay away from that!' Kuyt is not entirely surprised his former club have succeeded so quickly under compatriot Arne Slot, having shadowed him when he was at Feyenoord while he was their under-19 coach. Would he like to follow in Slot's footsteps at Liverpool one day? 'Of course, it's a dream to come back to Anfield. But at this moment, I like to dream in shorter steps.' Merseyside derby's most famous tackles September 1999: Liverpool 0 Everton 1 Steven Gerrard's knee-high tackle on Kevin Campbell brought an instant red card. Campbell had the last laugh as he scored the winning goal. December 2002: Liverpool 0 Everton 0 Gerrard caught Gary Naysmith with an ugly two-footed lunge. The Liverpool midfielder was not even shown a yellow card by Graham Poll but apologised to Naysmith after the game. March 2005: Liverpool 2 Everton 1 Milan Baros' was shown a red card after his tackle connected with the knee of Everton defender Alan Stubbs, who later claimed it could have ended his career. March 2006: Liverpool 3 Everton 1 Gerrard was shown a second yellow card for a reckless two-footed chop on Kevin Kilbane from the side. September 2008: Everton 0 Liverpool 2 The red mist descended for Everton midfielder Tim Cahill with 10 minutes of the match to go, scything down Xabi Alonso with a wild lunge. April 2016: Liverpool 4 Everton 0 An ill-tempered Merseyside derby boiled over when Ramiro Funes Mori stamped on Divock Origi just above the ankle, leading to the Argentine's dismissal. October 2020: Everton 2 Liverpool 2 Jordan Pickford became a hate figure for Liverpool fans when his ill-judged lunge took out Virgil van Dijk, leaving the Liverpool defender sidelined for the rest of the season with damaged anterior cruciate ligaments. "He could have easily been sent off." "I'm very surprised it's just been forgotten about?" Jordan Pickford's challenge on Virgil van Dijk did not look good 😬 Should VAR have stepped in after this? — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 17, 2020
New York Times
22-03-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Dirk Kuyt interview: ‘For Arne to win the league in his first season… no one will forget it'
Dirk Kuyt knows what the Premier League title means to Liverpool supporters. The former Netherlands forward spent six years at Anfield desperately trying to help end the club's long wait for the top-flight crown. The big prize eluded him before he said his goodbyes in the summer of 2012. He watched from afar when Jurgen Klopp finally broke the 30-year drought in 2020, but lamented how they could not celebrate the achievement properly due to the pandemic. Advertisement It is why Kuyt chuckled this week after hearing talk about Liverpool being set to have 'only' the Premier League title to show for this season following defeats against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last 16 and Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final. Arne Slot's side are 12 points clear of Arsenal and need a maximum of 16 points from their remaining nine league matches to be crowned champions. 'It will be absolutely massive,' Kuyt tells The Athletic. 'For Arne to win the Premier League in his first season in charge will be something no one will ever forget. 'It took such a long time for Liverpool to win the championship. And then when it happened last time it was a bad time for people all over the world, but especially for Liverpool supporters because they couldn't enjoy the success properly. 'We've all seen the parades around the city after Champions League wins. But to win the Premier League I feel will mean even more to the people. It will be crazy both in the stadium and around the city. 'Going out of the Champions League and losing the final was disappointing but it means there's now complete focus on the Premier League and giving everything so they can lift that trophy at Anfield on May 25.' For Kuyt, there is a deep sense of pride about Slot's impact at Anfield. He was convinced Liverpool had made a shrewd choice when Slot was appointed as Klopp's successor, having seen his work close up during his three-year reign at Feyenoord. Kuyt, who enjoyed two spells as a player with the Rotterdam-based club, spent some time behind the scenes shadowing Slot at Feyenoord as he made the move into coaching. 'I was really happy when Arne joined Liverpool because I knew what he was capable of after doing so well at Feyenoord,' he says. 'But nobody expected it to go this well, besides maybe Arne himself. He's managed to build on Jurgen's achievements and do it his way. Yes, he inherited a good squad but how he got the team playing the way he wants so quickly was unbelievable. He's made Premier League games look easy at times. Advertisement 'Everyone was saying that whoever came next after Jurgen would face such a difficult time. It's not easy to replace a legend. We know how tough it was for Jurgen in the beginning to get Liverpool playing like he wanted. 'But Arne managed that in a very short time. When I watch Liverpool sometimes I think I'm watching his AZ or Feyenoord teams from back in the day. It's one thing doing it at those clubs compared to getting some of the best players in the world to believe in how he wants to play. 'In the Champions League he was unlucky to face a team as good as PSG in their first knockout round. It was a top game decided by small details.' The Dutch influence at Anfield has never been stronger. Captain Virgil van Dijk has been a rock defensively, with Kuyt keen to see the talismanic centre-back remain at Liverpool beyond the end of his contract this summer. 'Virgil leads in such a great way and he's playing at his best level,' he adds. 'He takes care of his own performances and he's also there for others on and off the pitch. 'It wasn't easy for him coming back from a bad injury and he had some criticism, but this season he's been immense and I'm enjoying every minute of watching him play for Liverpool. 'He is turning 34 soon (July 8) but players now can go on longer than those of my generation. It's the same with Mo (Salah), who turns 33 in June. Everyone who likes Liverpool wants these players to sign new contracts tomorrow but we don't know the details. All I can say is I hope that soon we get the green light that they will be staying at Liverpool as they're still among the best players in the world.' Ryan Gravenberch, who withdrew from the Netherlands squad for their Nations League tie with Spain due to a fitness concern, has been showered with praise since being trusted by Slot to play the holding midfield role. Advertisement The former Ajax academy player had struggled to secure regular game time under Klopp last season following a difficult spell at Bayern Munich. 'People in Holland thought the step to Bayern was maybe a bit early for him to such a big club,' Kuyt says. 'But it also helped him to experience the negative part of not playing as much as he wanted. People always think players develop most when they achieve success. But people get even stronger when times are hard. 'Look at someone like (current Bayern Munich boss) Vincent Kompany. He got relegated with Burnley and see where he is now in his career. 'Gravenberch will have learned a lot from the experiences he had at such a young age. Arne knew him well from his time in Holland and has managed to get the best. He's still only 22 and sometimes people forget that. It's been a joy to watch him.' And then there is Cody Gakpo, who has been Liverpool's second-most potent attacker this season behind Salah with 16 goals in all competitions. 'Cody needed some time to adjust after arriving from PSV but he's shown this season how important he is with the goals he scored,' Kuyt says. 'That position on the left, cutting inside to shoot, is what he really likes and it's where he's best. It's great to see all the Dutch boys performing at such a high level.' Kuyt, who scored 71 goals in 285 games for Liverpool, has his hands full as manager of Beerschot in the Belgian Pro League. He led the Antwerp-based club to promotion last season but it has been a struggle at a higher level. They finished bottom in the regular season with just three wins out of 30 and are now preparing for the relegation round, when they will play home and away against the three teams above them. 'I'm really enjoying it,' he says. 'Nobody expected us to win the championship last season but we did it. It was a huge achievement for the club and the players. Advertisement 'I decided to sign a new contract to stay on in the top division. It sounds strange but we're doing really well in the circumstances. We have the lowest budget in the league and we've been unlucky at times, especially with VAR! We got a draw against Club Brugge and we won against Anderlecht. 'It's great experience for me as a manager. Although there's a big chance we get relegated, we'll give everything we have until the end. While it's still possible, we have to keep believing.' Kuyt is returning to Merseyside to play for Liverpool Legends against Chelsea Legends at Anfield on Saturday (3pm kick-off UK time). A few thousand tickets remain on sale, with all funds raised supporting the work of the LFC Foundation. Sir Kenny Dalglish will manage a Liverpool squad that also includes Steven Gerrard, Peter Crouch, Sami Hyypia and Jerzy Dudek. Last season the foundation helped around 127,000 people across the region and aims to be supporting 500,000 people per year by 2030. The eight previous legends matches at Anfield raised more than £7.5million ($9.7m). 'I'm really looking forward to it. Anfield always feels like home to me,' Kuyt adds. 'To be back in the dressing room with the lads, chat with the people on the streets and play in front of a full house… it's what I love to do. The best days of my life were as a football player and once a year, I still get the chance to play at the best place to play football. 'The cause we're doing it for is really important. Liverpool is a big example to clubs across the world in terms of giving back to the community. The foundation helps so many people in need and it makes me happy to be a small part of this. 'It's about time I scored another one in front of the Kop so I hope Sir Kenny will give me some minutes. I'm ready for 90 but knowing Kenny he will only give me 45!'
