Tottenham have interim manager already in situ after Thomas Frank sack latest
Thomas Frank could potentially be hours away from the Tottenham sack.
Tottenham did well to see off Borussia Dortmund 2-0 in the Champions League in midweek, but there is a sense that is delaying the inevitable.
Frank held talks with Tottenham chiefs this week on the back of a terrible display and result in losing 2-1 at home to West Ham.
And while many expected Frank to have already been sacked by Tottenham, what feels like the inevitable could well happen on Saturday.
Spurs take on 19th-placed Burnley at Turf Moor, where surely anything than a victory for Tottenham will signal the end for Frank.
Could Thomas Frank replacement be the man sat alongside him?
If Frank was to go this weekend, or indeed at any point over the next month or so, it does not seem likely that a permanent replacement will be brought in immediately.
Even if Spurs chiefs were being proactive behind the scenes, there would be plenty of negotiating to do before an appointment could be made.
So whether it is for one game, two games, or until the end of the season, someone will likely need to steady the ship on a temporary basis.
And that is where one of Frank’s right-hand men could come in.
Spurs hired John Heitinga as assistant manager this month, which raised more than a few eyebrows among the Spurs fanbase.
Heitinga is vastly experienced in the coaching world, having managed Ajax himself either side of assistant roles with West Ham and Liverpool.
It could be argued that Frank bringing someone in is a sign there is no immediate plan to sack him, but the opposite could so easily be true.
Heitinga is pretty much as good an interim appointment as Spurs could make, given that experience listed above.
Frank will therefore be looking over his shoulder – almost quite literally – should things not be going to plan at Turf Moor on Saturday afternoon.
What is John Heitinga’s record as a manager?
Heitinga has moved back into the world of coaching, rather than managing, which seems to suit him better.
The Dutchman has earned praise for his work at West Ham and Liverpool, only leaving the latter in May 2025 – fresh on the back of a Premier League title triumph – to manage Ajax.
| Stat | Heitinga |
| Games managed | 96 |
| Wins | 42 |
| Draws | 26 |
| Losses | 28 |
| Win percentage | 43.75% |
However, Heitinga lasted just five months in the job before being sacked following a dismal start to the campaign for the Eredivisie heavyweights.
That will not put Spurs off, though, as he will not be manager permanently, but rather just for the next four months or so.
It is an appointment that ticks many boxes, and one that could so easily be made official before too long.
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