Long serving Premier League manager has been SACKED out of nowhere! He’s gone, just like that. After recent poor results 🤯
Former Liverpool assistant manager Pep Lijnders has been relieved of his duties at RB Salzburg after a brief seven-month stint in charge.
Lijnders, who joined the Austrian side alongside former Liverpool coach Vitor Matos following Jurgen Klopp’s exit, faced dismissal with Salzburg trailing the league leaders by 10 points.
Despite a recent 3-0 victory against SK Austria Klagenfurt, the club attributed Lijnders’ departure to “unsatisfactory performances.”
During his time at Salzburg, the 41-year-old utilized his connections from Liverpool to facilitate the permanent acquisition of Bobby Clark and a loan deal for Stefan Bajčetić.
This decision comes shortly before Klopp’s anticipated return to football as he prepares to assume the role of Red Bull’s global head of soccer in January, marking an unfortunate end for his former assistant ahead of this transition.
Salzburg’s move to part ways with Lijnders and Matos coincides with the Austrian Bundesliga’s winter break, with the duo overseeing just 16 league games this season.
In a joint statement, CEO Stephan Reiter and Sporting Director Rouven Schröder outlined their reasoning:
“After a thorough review of what has been a disappointing campaign so far, we recognized that performances in numerous matches have failed to meet expectations.
“While we remained hopeful for improvement, it became clear that the team needed a new direction and leadership to move forward.
“We extend our gratitude to Pep for his commitment and the efforts he contributed to the club’s progress.
“As we enter the search for a new coach, our priority is to have the new manager ready to lead the team when training resumes o
n January 3, 2025.”
