THE HAGUE: Ajax Amsterdam have named John Heitinga as their new coach, with the former Netherlands defender signing a two-year deal, the Eredivisie club confirmed on Saturday.
Heitinga, who grew up in the club’s youth ranks and was part of Ajax’s senior squad for seven and a half seasons, was one of Arne Slot’s assistants at Liverpool in their Premier League-winning season.
Former club manager Marcel Keizer will serve as Heitinga’s assistant and has signed a contract of the same duration, Ajax added.
“John knows the club well,” Technical Director Alex Kroes told the club website. “We are convinced that he, together with Marcel, will help improve our players and build on the progress made since last summer in terms of, for example, elite sporting culture and discipline.”
Heitinga replaces Italian Francesco Farioli, who resigned earlier this month after Ajax’s spectacular title collapse.
Record 36-time champions Ajax finished the season second after blowing a nine-point lead as they were pipped to the league title by PSV Eindhoven on the final day.
Farioli revived the fortunes of a team coming off a dismal fifth-place finish in the 2023-24 campaign, but he decided to leave due to “different visions” with the club board.
Ajax last won the league in 2021-22.
“It’s good that it’s decided early on in the summer break that they will be in charge from the end of June. [We] can now continue working with John and the other parties involved on the squad composition for the coming season,” Kroes added.
Former Atletico Madrid, Everton and Fulham centre-back Heitinga coached youth and reserve teams at Ajax after he retired from playing, following his return to Ajax, in 2016.
Heitinga played 87 times for the Netherlands but was sent off in extra time in the 1-0 loss to Spain in the 2010 World Cup final
He was also briefly appointed as acting coach of Ajax in 2023 after the firing of Alfred Schreuder.
Heitinga, who won 87 caps for the Netherlands, was then David Moyes’s assistant at West Ham United before taking on the same role at Liverpool.
“I am incredibly excited to start,” Heitinga said. “The last years in England have done me a lot of good. I’ve been able to develop further alongside David Moyes and Arne Slot, while also getting a behind-the-scenes look at two major clubs. I’m ready to continue as a head coach and I’m honoured to be given that opportunity at Ajax.”
Published in Dawn, June 1st, 2025