John Heitinga played a quietly important role in Liverpool’s success under Arne Slot – which lacked last season – as “buffer” between head coach and the players.
Heitinga only spent a season on the Liverpool staff but he became hugely popular among players and fans – despite his ties to Everton during his playing career.
The 42-year-old left his role as assistant coach after lifting the Premier League trophy to become Ajax head coach last summer – only to be sacked from that job just five months in.
After a brief spell on Thomas Frank’s staff at Tottenham, Heitinga remains out of work, with calls for his return to Liverpool now seemingly ending with Slot moved on.
Following the decision to sack Slot, the Times‘ Paul Joyce reflected on Heitinga’s role as part of his backroom team.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Tuesday, October 1, 2024: Liverpool's Darwin Núñez (L) and assistant coach John Heitinga during a training session at the AXA Training Centre ahead of the UEFA Champions League match between Liverpool FC and Bologna FC. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
“[Heitinga] was perceived as a buffer between the squad and the coaching staff,” Joyce wrote last month.
“That is not to overplay his role, but if it is being mentioned in dispatches as something that has been missed it is because someone, somewhere thinks there have been problems he might have solved.”
There had been calls to bring Heitinga back to Liverpool both before he took the job at Tottenham and then following his departure along with Frank.
But it remains to be seen if there will be interest in a reunion upon the appointment of Andoni Iraola, who is set to bring his own staff to Anfield as talks continue with former club Bournemouth.
Who will fill the ‘Heitinga role’ on Iraola’s staff?
BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND - Friday, March 20, 2026: Bournemouth's Tommy Elphick during the FA Premier League match between AFC Bournemouth and Manchester United FC at Dean Court. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Tommy Elphick is set to join Iraola as one of his assistants, reprising the role he held under the Spaniard on the south coast.
Speaking to the Premier League‘s official website in 2024, Elphick reflected on his own experience working as that “buffer” between a Bournemouth squad he was long familiar with and their new head coach.
“The new gaffer had to initially win over the lads, and for the first two or three weeks training was very constraint-based, the drills were unique, and some of the boys were struggling with the new practices,” he explained.
“Andoni likes to manage from a distance too, so the support staff had an extra responsibility to help him gain the trust of the squad, and he also leaned on us to give him nuggets of information about individual players.
“Early on I was thinking ‘come on boys, let the barriers down, let’s go a bit deeper on a personal level’, as I felt they were holding back.
“Thankfully, once they adjusted to the changes, the group relaxed into it and the training environment was excellent.”
BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND - Friday, March 20, 2026: Bournemouth coach Shaun Cooper during the FA Premier League match between AFC Bournemouth and Manchester United FC at Dean Court. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Along with Elphick, Liverpool are expected to appoint Bournemouth coach Shaun Cooper and analyst Tom Webber, while fitness coach Pablo de la Torre is set to continue his long association with Iraola.
There are reportedly plans to bring in a former player as part of Iraola’s staff, with Thiago Alcantara among the standout candidates.
But it could be argued that, if he can be convinced, Heitinga himself could fill that role with the experience he gained during a season at Anfield.