Manchester City Welcomes New Coaching Staff: Pepijn Lijnders and James French

New Additions to Manchester City's Coaching Team

On June 10, Manchester City announced the hiring of Pepijn Lijnders as the assistant coach, alongside James French, who will serve as the set-piece coach within Pep Guardiola’s first team coaching staff.

Lijnders brings a wealth of experience from elite coaching roles in both the Premier League and European leagues.

The 42-year-old Dutch coach began his career in 2002, initially working with the youth teams at PSV Eindhoven before moving to FC Porto in Portugal.

In 2014, he transitioned to England, joining Liverpool as part of Brendan Rodgers' coaching team, and later continued under Jurgen Klopp after his appointment in 2015.

After a brief stint managing NEC in the Netherlands at the start of 2018, Lijnders returned to Liverpool later that summer.

He left Anfield alongside Klopp in the summer of 2024 and took the managerial position at RB Salzburg, where he spent six months.

James French joins Manchester City from Liverpool, taking on the crucial role of set-piece coach, also with significant Premier League experience.

French began his career with roles at Swansea and the FA of Wales before joining Liverpool’s coaching staff in 2012.

Over the past decade, he has served as the first team opposition analyst for the Merseyside club.

Hugo Viana, the Director of Football, expressed enthusiasm about the new appointments, stating, "We are thrilled to have Pepijn and James join our senior coaching staff. They both bring extensive experience in their respective roles. Their skills, dedication, and commitment align perfectly with Pep's vision for how the game should be played.

"I am confident that both will be invaluable assets to Pep and his coaching team as we gear up for the Club World Cup and the upcoming 2025/26 season."