John Heitinga’s tenure at Tottenham has come to an abrupt end after a mere 32 days, following Igor Tudor’s arrival as interim head coach.
The Dutch coach departed on Monday, the very first day of Tudor’s reign at the north London club.
Tudor was confirmed as Thomas Frank’s replacement on Friday, taking charge until the season’s conclusion.
The Croatian flew into London over the weekend and commenced his duties as players returned to training following a five-day break.
Tottenham have hired Igor Tudor until the end of the season
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Heitinga had only joined Spurs on 15 January, signing a two-and-a-half-year contract to work under Frank’s stewardship.
Tudor has wasted no time in assembling his own coaching team, bringing in three trusted colleagues from his previous stint at Juventus.
Ivan Javorcic will serve as his assistant, whilst Riccardo Raganacci takes on the role of physical coach.
Tomislav Rogic completes the trio as the new goalkeeping coach.
The 47-year-old worked alongside all three during his time with the Italian giants, where he was in charge from March until October last year.
John Heitinga’s tenure at Tottenham has come to an abrupt end after a mere 32 days
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Their appointments at Tottenham remain subject to the successful acquisition of work permits.
Tudor has built a reputation as something of a short-term specialist, having delivered swift results at Udinese, Lazio and Juventus.
When Frank appointed Heitinga last month, he spoke glowingly of the Dutchman’s credentials. “John is a great addition to our coaching staff.
“His ability, personality and character will add huge value both on and off the pitch,” the now-departed manager declared.
Frank highlighted Heitinga’s defensive expertise and praised his coaching experience across all levels of the game.
Yet results failed to improve during the 42-year-old’s brief spell. Spurs went winless in five Premier League matches, suffering three defeats and two draws.
The club did manage Champions League victories over Borussia Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt, both by 2-0 margins.
Prior to joining Tottenham, Heitinga had been part of Arne Slot’s title-winning coaching staff at Liverpool before departing Anfield last summer.
Justin Cochrane and John Heitinga are among the coaches to be let go
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Heitinga was not the sole casualty of the coaching reshuffle. Justin Cochrane and Chris Haslam, both of whom had followed Frank from Brentford last summer, have also departed the club.
Cochrane’s exit is particularly notable given he began his coaching career at Tottenham and played a key role in bringing Frank to Spurs.
It is understood that Heitinga chose not to continue under Tudor’s new coaching structure.
The Dutchman had been considered as a potential interim head coach following Frank’s dismissal, though sources indicated his appointment was always unlikely.
Analyst Joe Newton has similarly left the club.
