Ajax have confirmed that John Heitinga has been sacked with immediate effect, ending a turbulent period for the former Liverpool assistant.
The Dutch side has issued a statement about this their official website The 41-year-old’s departure was confirmed on Thursday, with technical director Alex Kroes also offering to step aside in the wake of growing unrest.
Ajax fires John Heitinga after ‘too little progress’
Ajax’s statement read: “Ajax has suspended John Heitinga with immediate effect. The head coach’s contract ran 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; Fred Grim will take over Heitinga’s duties in the meantime.”
Kroes added: “It is a painful decision, but looking back on the past few months we have to conclude that things turned out very differently than we had envisioned.
“We have seen too little progress and needlessly dropped points.”
The club’s technical director has now offered to resign, although the Ajax board has urged him to stay for reasons of continuity.
For us, the development comes just weeks after Heitinga came under pressure over James McConnell’s surprise move to Ajax, with reports suggesting the decision split the club’s hierarchy.
Could Heitinga return to Liverpool in the future?
Heitinga’s Anfield link has never been forgotten. He worked under Arne Slot last season during our title-winning campaign, before taking the Ajax job last summer.
When he was given the role, he spoke warmly about the time he spent with our head coach and the lessons he learned from playing English football.
It is not impossible to imagine the Dutchman possibly returning to Merseyside in the future.
After all, Pep Lijnders once left Klopp’s technical staff to try his hand at management himself, before returning as an assistant.
Heitinga’s tactical knowledge, English experience and familiarity with our setup mean that – if the timing and opportunities align – a reunion could make sense for both parties.
For now, though, his focus will be on rebuilding his reputation.
And as Ajax looks for yet another new head coach, we can reflect on how one of our former colleagues is out of work – but perhaps not out of opportunity.
You can watch Slot’s press conference after the match via Kingdom of the Kop on YouTube:
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