Ex-Liverpool player with Jürgen Klopp mantra on his wall is another young coach to watch

Liverpool got ahead of the speculation before it began. When it announced that Jürgen Klopp would be leaving, it confirmed at the same time that Pep Lijnders would also depart the club, ruling out the possibility of the assistant manager taking over the reins.

Had that not been the case, he would no doubt be a key figure in the present discussions. Certainly, there's a case that Lijnders would have represented the continuity candidate, with Klopp's number two already a hugely active part in devising Liverpool's training and tactics.

Appointing Lijnders would also have been in line with Liverpool's long 'boot room' tradition. It would have brought to mind Bob Paisley taking over from Bill Shankly, as FSG search for the person who can take Klopp's success and not only continue it but build on it.

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Assistants are also in vogue at the moment, given the success of Mikel Arteta at Arsenal. The Gunners had to show a little bit of patience with Pep Guardiola's former right-hand man — something not afforded to Lijnders in his brief spell as manager in the Netherlands, before a swift return to Liverpool — but he has turned the Emirates outfit into title contenders.

But Lijnders is not in the running. And while Liverpool could yet throw a surprise with its appointment, the likelihood is that the club will look within the pool of coaches who have at least somewhat established themselves in the role already.

As such, Nuri Şahin is not a candidate for the Liverpool position just yet. But he's certainly one to watch for the future, having returned to Borussia Dortmund as assistant manager this season.

Unusually, Şahin was lured away from a senior managerial post in order to take up the assistant's job. He had been showing signs of promise with Antalyaspor in Turkey, where he ended his playing career.

"I had the feeling that the club I had supported since my childhood needed me," Şahin told Sky Sports recently. "They were in a difficult situation. It was a hard decision but I listened to heart and my heart said that the club needs you so you go back and help the club."

It may well also have been a shrewd career move from Şahin. With Borussia Dortmund having enjoyed an upturn, not least in the Champions League, his own stock has risen. It would not be a shock to see him follow his old manager Klopp in landing the Borussia Dortmund job as and when Edin Terzić moves on.

So what is Şahin the coach like? He certainly took more from his time with Klopp than his ill-fated spell with Liverpool.

Şahin refers to Klopp's gegenpressing principles. But tactically, his admiration for Pep Guardiola is at least as strong; the main thing he took from working with the Liverpool boss at Borussia Dortmund is his man-management skills.

"Jürgen was unbelievable at it," Şahin revealed. "He never spoke to you as a football player. He always spoke to you as a human being. I had that message on the wall of my office to remind me that I am not a coach of a football player, I am the coach of a human being.

"To be honest, I also had coaches where the man-management was not the best. I never want the players to feel how I felt sometimes."

Şahin confirmed that he was not talking about José Mourinho with this remark. Whether he's referencing his time at Liverpool under Brendan Rodgers, only he knows, but it certainly didn't go to plan at Anfield.

Could a second spell one day beyond the cards, this time as manager? He will first need to venture back out into management, attempting to emulate another former Liverpool midfielder in Xabi Alonso, but there's no reason why Şahin could not one day be a legitimate candidate.

Liverpool.com says: If Liverpool was going to hire an assistant manager, it would surely have been Lijnders. We could yet see a left-field appointment, but this would be really pushing it, even accounting for Borussia Dortmund's improvement.

Still, like Alonso, Şahin could be one to keep an eye on in the future. The current Liverpool vacancy will not be the last, and this crop of exciting young coaches have time on their side.