John Heitinga’s stance clear on Tottenham offer amid huge manager development
John Heitinga is ready to step in and take charge of Tottenham in the aftermath of Thomas Frank’s sacking.
The Lilywhites’ 2-1 defeat at home to Newcastle on Tuesday night was seen as the final straw by the club hierarchy, with the team now hovering just five points above the Premier League’s relegation zone.
Tottenham finally pulled the trigger on Frank on Wednesday morning, with the board eventually deeming his position to be untenable after several weeks of pressure from the fans.
Tottenham simply have to get their next appointment right, and their decision-making process could even see them promote from within the club in the coming days.
John Heitinga to accept Tottenham responsibility if offered
Football Insider revealed back in January that Tottenham would “definitely” consider Mauricio Pochettino as a replacement for Frank, but they will be unable to appoint him until after the World Cup.
The Argentine is due to lead the USA at their upcoming home tournament, but has never hidden his desire to return to North London and finish the job that he started.
However, if Spurs truly want to make that dream return a reality, they will have to find a stopgap to take charge of the team until the end of the season.
Former caretaker boss and assistant coach Ryan Mason has not yet been approached regarding a third temporary spell in charge, according to Alex Crook, while Frank’s assistant John Heitinga remains in place after the Dane’s exit.
That could potentially result in the Dutchman being offered the opportunity to lead the team for the next few weeks, or even until the end of the season, until the next permanent appointment can be made.
That is a chance that the former Everton defender would jump at, based on his previous statements.
Heitinga revealed after his appointment as Ajax manager last summer that he was “ready to be a head coach,” after spells working under both Arne Slot and David Moyes, as per Goal.com.
Things didn’t go to plan for him at Ajax, but that desire to be a number one will surely still be there, and the chance to prove himself in the Premier League would likely be extremely difficult for him to turn down.
John Heitinga’s managerial record
Tottenham fans are pleased with Frank’s dismissal, but they will also be aware that there will be a huge amount of pressure on whoever takes over.
The North Londoners are facing the very real possibility of a relegation battle, and there is no room for error if they are to avoid a catastrophic relegation.
| Competition | Games | W | D | L | Win % |
| Eredivisie | 11 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 45.45% |
| Champions League | 4 | – | – | 4 | 0% |
| Total | 15 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 33.33% |
With that in mind, Heitinga’s limited managerial CV would undoubtedly raise eyebrows if he were to be appointed, even if only on an interim basis.
The 42-year-old’s only previous experience as a number one came at Ajax, where he was dismissed in November after just 15 games.
Heitinga’s group won just five of their opening 11 Eredivisie games and also tasted defeat in four consecutive Champions League outings, leaving him with a win percentage of just 33 per cent.
His appointment would certainly panic Spurs fans, given the perilous situation that the club finds itself in at the moment.