Salzburgers get going

Lijnders: “We are young, ambitious and self-confident”

Red Bull Salzburg has begun preparations for the new season.

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

In the unfamiliar role of the hunter and with a new head coach, Red Bull Salzburg has begun preparations for the Bundesliga season starting at the beginning of August. Dutchman Pepijn Lijnders, who has been given a three-year contract, is preparing the team for an exceptionally long season with a partly new coaching team and wants to take the club to a new level with a 4-3-3 system that is popular in his home country.

After ten championship titles in a row, Salzburg was dethroned by Sturm Graz. However, there was no major upheaval. With talent Tim Paumgartner (Liefering), goalkeeper Janis Blaswich (RB Leipzig) and the Japanese team and midfielder Takumu Kawamura (Sanfrecce Hiroshima) presented on Monday, only three additions have been confirmed. Ignace Van der Brempt (HSV), Dijon Kameri (Grasshoppers Zurich) and Kamil Piatkowski (Granada) are back from loan, at least for the time being. Among others, Andreas Ulmer, who won 13 league titles with Salzburg, was not extended.

The biggest change was in the sporting management, which for the first time in a long time has a coach who does not come from the Red Bull stable. Lijnders is full of anticipation and raved about the city and the club at the start of training. "The club is young, ambitious and self-confident. They have a clear identity, great youth development and are enthusiastic about what they are doing and how they want to build something. I am proud to represent this city and this club," said the 41-year-old.

Lijnders brought a lot of passion to the pitch. To implement the 4-3-3, he ran running routes with the players. Talks with the players were the focus, "to convey the idea and the spirit we want. We want to offer attractive soccer. We also made it clear to the players how high our intensity is". There is "extremely great potential" in the team, he emphasized.

Mammoth program ahead
The Dutchman was leading his first training session as head coach of a professional team, but he brings a wealth of experience with him. Lijnders spent five years at PSV Eindhoven, seven years at FC Porto and ten years at Liverpool FC, including six years in the coaching team under Jürgen Klopp. "I had a lot of responsibility, had freedom and was able to contribute my tactical ideas. In terms of mentality and professionalism, I learned a lot from him and I am eternally grateful to him for that," said the new Salzburg head coach.

Pepijn Lijnders (left) and Eddie Gustafsson at the start of training.

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

He has a mammoth program to master with his new club. The Salzburg team will start in the third qualifying round of the Champions League on August 6/7, will definitely play in a European Cup group stage and will take part in the lucrative Club World Cup in the USA after the season from June 15, 2025. We want these international games "so that the team grows and the players continue to develop in order to take the club to the next level," emphasized Lijnders.

The coach has not been given any specific targets for success. "We have talked least about titles, but about how to get there," said sporting director Bernhard Seonbuchner.