John Heitinga should not have been given the Ajax job based on his time at Liverpool, as he had no responsibility at Anfield.
That’s according to Johan Derksen, via Voetbal Zone, who has questioned Ajax’s decision to hire the Dutchman based on his time at Liverpool.
Heitinga was appointed as the new permanent Ajax manager earlier this month as part of a new-look managerial team replacing Francesco Farioli.
He returns to the Dutch giants after a year working with Liverpool as an assistant manager under Arne Slot, who brought him as part of his backroom team last summer.
The 41-year-old was well thought-of on Merseyside, much as he was during his time at West Ham United under David Moyes.
That successful year working under Slot, in which they romped to the Premier League title, means there is some level of expectation for him as he returns to Ajax.
Heitinga also has a point to prove after a successful spell as caretaker manager for Ajax in 2023 didn’t secure him the job that summer, a decision which proved to be unwise as his replacement, Maurice Steijn, managed just 11 games in charge.
Derksen isn’t convinced about the appointment, though, insisting that Heitinga’s time at Liverpool is not enough to make him worthy.
“Heitinga is put on a pedestal, because he has the Ajax culture. But he is not the greatest personality,” he said.
“He only stood on his own two feet as an interim coach at Ajax. And then he did not leave a very good impression. And as an assistant at Liverpool, you get a bit of the honour, and of the fact that the club performed fantastically. But Heitinga had no responsibility there.
“He is responsible for a listed company. You don’t give that to someone who has never held a management position, do you?
“He is a very decent guy. But those footballers think that everything will come to them. But it is quite something, running a company. But you can’t just pick someone off a football field and hand over a company.”
