Why Heitinga’s Move to Spurs Threatens Slot | OneFootball

For all of its visceral physicality, soccer can sometimes be as subtle as chess. The recent news of John Heitinga’s appointment as first assistant coach under Thomas Frank at Tottenham Hotspur is a good example.

Who is John Heitinga?

Heitinga, the former Dutch international centre-back who starred for Ajax, Atlético Madrid, Everton, and the Netherlands national team, hung up his boots in 2016. He transitioned seamlessly into coaching, drawn back to the club that shaped him: Ajax.

Heitinga began his managerial journey in the Ajax youth academy, nurturing young talent at De Toekomst. By 2021, he held the reins of Jong Ajax, the club’s reserve side competing in the Eerste Divisie. There, he honed his tactical philosophy emphasizing disciplined defending, high pressing, and fluid build-up play. He also developed players who would later break into the first team. His success led to a pivotal promotion in January 2023: interim head coach of Ajax’s senior squad for the remainder of the 2022-23 season. Stepping into the pressure cooker of one of Holland’s biggest clubs, he steadied the ship, guiding them to a respectable third-place Eredivisie finish despite a turbulent campaign.

To broaden his experience, Heitinga ventured abroad. He joined West Ham United as first-team assistant under David Moyes, his old Everton boss, giving him insight into another pressure cooker environment: the Premier League . When Moyes departed in 2024, Heitinga moved to Liverpool, becoming assistant to Arne Slot. His multilingual skills and defensive expertise proved invaluable. He mentored talents like Ryan Gravenberch and helped Liverpool clinch the 2024-25 Premier League title, showcasing his ability to thrive in elite settings.

Heitinga returned to Ajax that summer, and expectations were sky-high. But reality quickly tossed a bucket of ice water over his head. Ajax started slowly in the Eredivisie, and performed even worse in Champions League qualifying, sitting at the bottom of the table with zero points and a 13 goal differential. He left the club in November with only 5 wins in 15 games.

The Anfield Impact

What the news reports and glossy pictures of Heitinga and Frank standing happily side-by-side don’t reveal is the ugly power struggle that pushed the Dutchman into the North London side. Our sources tell us that John Heitinga’s first choice was to return to Liverpool. Manager Arne Slot was also keen; Liverpool’s defense has been an issue and Heitinga would have been invaluable in helping shore that up. 

But Richard Hughes, the sporting director of Liverpool and man with signatory power for all personnel, opposed the move. We were not given any specifics on why, but blocking Heitinga is yet another ingredient in the long-simmering stew of rumor that Arne Slot’s position at Anfield is steadily crumbling. While Hughes was instrumental in bringing Slot over to replace Jürgen Klopp, and supported the manager in his eye-wateringly expensive summer signings, this sudden lack of support is a worrying sign. 

Liverpool’s campaign since winning the Premier League has been disappointing. Although they currently sit in 4th place, they are 14 points behind leaders Arsenal and 8 points behind 3rd place Aston Villa. More damningly, the team doesn’t play in a manner that provides any confidence that the gap can be closed. Fan discontent with Slot has been vociferous both in social media and the stands. With the sudden availability of Xabi Alonso, who was on the short list to replace Klopp back in 2024, you have to wonder whether executives Hughes and Michael Edwards are weighing their options.