John Heitinga sacked by Ajax and opens door for possible Liverpool return | OneFootball

It’s never easy watching one of our own struggle elsewhere, and the news from Amsterdam will leave plenty around Anfield feeling disappointed.

Ajax have confirmed that John Heitinga has been sacked with immediate effect, ending a turbulent tenure for the former Liverpool assistant.

The Dutch side released a statement on their official website on Thursday confirming the 41-year-old’s exit, with technical director Alex Kroes also offering to step aside in the wake of growing unrest.

Ajax sack John Heitinga after “too little progress”

(Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)

Ajax’s statement read: “Ajax has suspended John Heitinga with immediate effect. The head coach’s contract was due to run until June 30, 2027, but will now be terminated.

“The same applies to assistant coach Marcel Keizer. Ajax is looking for a new head coach; in the meantime, Fred Grim will take over Heitinga’s duties.”

Kroes added: “It’s a painful decision. But looking back at the past few months, we must conclude that things have turned out quite differently from what we had envisioned.

“We’ve seen too little progress and have unnecessarily dropped points.”

The club’s technical director has since offered to step down, though Ajax’s board have urged him to stay for continuity.

For us, the development comes just weeks after Heitinga was under pressure over James McConnell’s surprise loan move to Ajax, with reports suggesting the decision divided the club’s hierarchy.

Could Heitinga return to Liverpool in future?

(Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)

Heitinga’s Anfield link has never been forgotten. He spent last season working under Arne Slot during our title-winning campaign, before taking the Ajax job last summer.

When he landed that role, he spoke warmly about the time he spent alongside our head coach and the lessons learned from English football.

It’s not impossible to imagine the Dutchman possibly returning to Merseyside in the future.

After all, Pep Lijnders once left Klopp’s coaching staff to try management himself, before coming back to be assistant again.

Heitinga’s tactical nous, English experience and familiarity with our setup mean that – if timing and opportunity align – a reunion could make sense for both sides.

For now, though, his focus will be on rebuilding his reputation.

And while Ajax search for yet another new head coach, we can reflect on how one of our former colleagues finds himself out of work – but perhaps not out of chances.

You can watch Slot’s post-match press conference via Empire of the Kop on YouTube:

Join our channel of readers on WhatsApp to get the day’s top stories straight to your mobile