Former Liverpool assistant manager Pep Pijnders has been sacked as RB Salzburg boss, just days before his old colleague Jurgen Klopp is due to start his new job as Red Bull’s global head of soccer.
Lijnders left Liverpool at the end of last season to take up the role in Austria but things have not gone well since then.
Salzburg are currently fifth in the Austrian Bundesliga table and 32nd in the Champions League table with just one win from six.
Lijnders actually won his last game in charge, beating
Austria Klagenfurt 3-0 on Saturday, but the club have decided to wield the axe.
Klopp begins his new overarching role with Red Bull’s football department on 1 January, but that has not been enough to save his long-term ally.
A statement from RB Salzburg CEO Stephan Reiter and Managing Director of Sport Rouven Schroder read: ‘We began recently to analyse, as planned, what has unfortunately not been a satisfactory season so far.
‘It was clear to see that in many of our matches we have been far short of our own requirements and aims.
‘We have therefore become convinced that our team needs a new impulse under new management, even if we continued to hope for a turnaround until the end.
‘We would like to thank Pep for his work. He put a lot of effort and passion into it and has provided important momentum for our further development.
‘We are now very intensively looking for a new coach and will communicate as soon as a decision is made. We clearly want to start training again on 3 January 2025 with our new coach in place.’
While Klopp’s move to the strategic role with Red Bull has been questioned by some, he said it made sense as he did not want another role as a manager at this stage after leaving Anfield.
‘I did not want to step on anyone’s toes,’ Klopp said on Toni Kroos’ podcast. ‘I love all my former clubs, but I don’t know what I could have done so that everyone is happy.
‘I am 57 and can still work a few more years, but I did not see myself on the sidelines for now. It was clear for me that I would do something – so then Red Bull came.’