Pepijn Lijnders: From Anfield to Sportpark Den Elshof
13 June 2026“I pay attention to which players have the biggest impact on the result and what tactical choices coaches make”
Every year, many prominent football figures find their way to the Marveld Tournament. Former players, top referees, well-known football fathers – they are regular guests at Sportpark Den Elshof. This weekend, Pepijn Lijnders is also attending the tournament for the first time. The coach, who made a name for himself in recent years as an assistant to Jürgen Klopp (Liverpool) and Pep Guardiola (Manchester City), found himself in German circles on Friday evening.
„Back in the day, I always worked with Jefta Bresser at PSV. He’s now the head of youth development at Bayer Leverkusen. I’ve only been back in the Netherlands for five days and really wanted to meet up with him again“, Lijnders explains. For both football enthusiasts, this was a perfect opportunity to visit the Marveld Tournament together. „We were already in the car at 7:00 AM this morning, heading to the golf course. We played a round of golf in the rain – which you wouldn’t expect in June. After that, I jumped in the shower and headed straight to Groenlo.“
Game Intelligence
Even though Lijnders has only been walking around the sports park for a few hours, he is visibly impressed by the level on the pitches.
„So much game intelligence, so much attacking ability, wonderful personalities within these teams. And to think that these boys are only 15 years old – I find that truly incredible.“ Before Lijnders built an impressive career as a coach and assistant coach, he worked for years in the youth academies of PSV Eindhoven and FC Porto. And even though Sportpark Den Elshof may not exude the same magic as Anfield or the other football temples he has visited in recent years, Lijnders can’t help but watch the matches with a coach’s eye in Groenlo as well. „In the past, we often discussed how fantastic it is to work in the youth academy of a big club. Now, I look at games with a different perspective. For example, I pay attention to which players have the biggest impact on the result and what tactical choices the coaches make.“
Brilliant Positional Play
With such tactical insight, Lijnders already has an idea of which teams could go far this year. The Brazilian participants, in particular, impress him.
„Many factors play a role in winning matches, but if the basics are solid, you can go a long way. When I watch Flamengo play, I see constant threat, brilliant positional play, and scoring ability on top of that. That’s something I can really enjoy.“ Last May, Lijnders and Manchester City head coach Pep Guardiola decided to take a step back for the time being. But anyone who thinks that Lijnders now has all the time in the world to stroll around the pitches of Sportpark Den Elshof this weekend will be disappointed. „I’ll be at home with my kids on Saturday and Sunday. They’ve earned that after all these years. I’m going to take it easy for a while and enjoy the World Cup. After that, we’ll see.“
