Only eight points separate Tottenham from 4th place in the Premier League and Champions League ticket. Sounds crazy when the supporters see their club down in 14th place, but this is and will be the world’s toughest league where everyone can beat anyone. One problem is that we have already played 21 out of 38 games. A bigger problem is that the gap to the place balancing on the relegation line is a meagre six points. Now Spurs and Thomas Frank are making moves that will help the club collect more points.
On Thursday, John Heitinga will be clapped in as the new assistant coach at Thomas Frank. The 42-year-old was known as a tough and smart centre-back at Everton in 2008-14, as well as as an assistant coach at city rivals Liverpool.
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In September 2023, Heitinga was appointed first-team coach at West Ham United as an assistant to David Moyes, his former manager at Everton. When Moyes left the club in May 2024, Heitinga left the club, along with other assistants. On July 17, 2024, Heitinga was appointed as the new assistant coach at Liverpool. He led Liverpool for the first time in a 2–0 win over Newcastle United on 26 February 2025, while manager Arne Slot and assistant manager Sipke Hulshoff were suspended. That season, Liverpool famously won the Premier League title.
In May 2025, Heitinga agreed to return to his former club Ajax as head coach, signing a two-year contract that would start from the 2025–26 season. Five months later, the chaos club had fired him.
Now it’s all about Tottenham.
“John is a fantastic addition to our coaching staff. His abilities, personality and character will add great value both on and off the pitch. He had an impressive playing career across Europe – including five years in the Premier League – and with the Dutch national team. As a former defender, it will be one of his main responsibilities on the training field, and he brings great coaching and leadership experience from all levels of the game, which will really help us going forward,” Thomas Frank told the club’s website.
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Directly translated: Tight Spurs defence, Heitinga. Immediately!
