Liverpool No2 Lijnders: Milner could take my job; he proved himself a legend in Paris | OneFootball

Liverpool assistant manager Pep Lijnders admits James Milner could take his job.

Lijnders recalled how Milner reacted before the kickoff to last season's Champions League final in Paris.

With Lijnders and Jurgen Klopp focused on dealing with UEFA amid the chaos outside the stadum, Milner stepped up to deliver a rousing message to the Liverpool squad. And his team-talk left Lijnders so impressed that he tipped the midfielder to take over as Klopp's number two.

“The boys were in and out. What do we do? That's not a good way to start a final anyway, but that's for both teams, so no excuses there, nothing like that. But in that moment, Milly took the team together, all the backroom staff, everybody there, and the worst thing is I was not even there because I was discussing with the UEFA guy!" Lijnders wrote in his new book 'Intensity'.

“I walk in and see him standing there and he was like 'if you don't have full commitment, if you don't have full conviction, just think about what all these staff members standing here are doing day by day for you guys to perform, that will give you the two or three percent that you will need'.

“As I said before, he could have my title tomorrow, assistant manager. The club are made around these players, around these characters. They are so much more than just football players. They are examples, they are truly legends. Not legends how you perceive it, but legends in terms of ultimate team players, and that makes them winners for life in my opinion."