Conspiracy ruined as Thomas Frank pictured after new Tottenham agreement confirmed
Thomas Frank could not have wished for a worse start as Tottenham manager.
Spurs sit 14th in the Premier League table and have already been knocked out of both domestic cup competitions.
Frank is under serious pressure, and his side can’t afford to drop points in Saturday’s match with West Ham at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Frank pushed for Tottenham to sign Conor Gallagher from Atletico Madrid, and he is clearly having a huge say in how the business is being conducted in the January transfer window.
Many Tottenham fans want Frank gone, but they may have to wait as the hiring of a new coach has been announced.
John Heitinga announced as new assistant coach at Tottenham
Tottenham hired Carlos Raphael Moersen as their new director of football operations, and he is not the only new face to walk through the door.
John Heitinga has previous managerial experience at Ajax, having been in charge for two different spells, with the most recent ending in November 2025.
He also has experience as part of the coaching staff with West Ham under David Moyes in 2023-24, and at Liverpool last season.
On Thursday, Tottenham announced on X that Heitinga has joined as a first-team assistant coach, with Frank pictured alongside him.
| Stat | Heitinga |
| Games managed | 96 |
| Wins | 42 |
| Draws | 26 |
| Losses | 28 |
| Win percentage | 43.75% |
After the announcement, journalist Matt Law said: “I think it’s significant that Frank is pictured with Heitinga. Also, Frank interviewed Heitinga himself before Christmas and drove the appointment. It may ruin a few conspiracy theories.”
Many Spurs fans are hoping that Frank will be dismissed imminently, but given the fact that he has had such a big influence over the recruitment of players and coaching staff in recent weeks, it means that the board may stick with him even if results get worse.
Of course, if they go on a significant losing run, then they’ll be forced to act, but given Heitinga’s appointment, it’s clear that there are no immediate plans to replace Frank.
Tottenham fans are essentially being told to embark on a process, and the addition of Heitinga could have a bigger impact than they may think.
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What has Arne Slot said about Heitinga?
Heitinga actually took charge of Liverpool in a 2–0 win over Newcastle on 26 February 2025 as Arne Slot was serving a suspension.
The Reds won the league at a canter last season, and Slot had nothing but words of admiration for his former assistant coach.
On May 29, he said, “If I say talented, I don’t even rate him high enough because he’s more than that already. He’s been a head coach himself, but he’s still young.
“He grew into our staff from the start in a very good manner, so he has the same idea about football. That’s also why I chose him to come to us as well. The way he is with the boys is very positive.”
Hopefully, he can add some value to Frank’s coaching team and help spark an upturn in results.
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