Tottenham supervisor Thomas Frank added former Ajax supervisor John Heitinga as his first staff assistant coach on January 15.
The transfer got here after former Spurs youth midfielder Matt Wells, who Frank had described as being “chargeable for the defensive a part of the sport”, left to take cost of MLS staff the Colorado Rapids in December.
Spurs Technical Director Johan Lange stated he had a “very, excellent feeling” after serving to Frank put his preliminary backroom staff collectively shortly after his arrival.
The group consists of one coach who had solely been appointed by England supervisor Thomas Tuchel 5 months beforehand, in addition to a former assistant to Ruben Amorim at Manchester United, who Spurs beat within the 2024/25 Europa League closing.
Right here’s how Tottenham’s teaching workers seems to be and what Frank and Lange have needed to say about them.
Tottenham: Who’re Thomas Frank’s teaching workers?
Heitinga is the most recent addition to Frank’s staff on the coaching pitch.
“Thomas had a want to herald just a few coaches he’s labored with earlier than,” fellow Dane Lange advised Tottenham’s website about Frank’s workers, including that he was “fairly excited” by the appointments.
“However for the entire different roles we had a really, excellent course of the place we interviewed a number of candidates for every.”
Frank stated he hoped to make the teaching staff “a really well-run engine” who “simply ship all the pieces”.
“I do know half of the teaching group; the opposite half I don’t know, so we have to work on that relationship,” he acknowledged.
“The way in which they’ll cut up the roles is absolutely good and masking all the talents we want to have.”
John Heitinga
Capped 87 occasions by the Netherlands, centre-back Heitinga made greater than 400 appearances for Ajax, Atletico Madrid, Everton, Fulham and Hertha Berlin.
He initially labored in Ajax’s youth set-up from 2016 and took interim cost of their senior aspect for the second half of the 2022/23 season.
Heitinga was West Ham first staff assistant and held the identical place for Arne Slot’s first season at Liverpool in 2024/25, profitable the Premier League.
A return to the Amsterdammers as supervisor in Could 2025 proved much less profitable. “His skill, character and character will add enormous worth each on and off the pitch,” predicted Frank.
“He had a powerful taking part in profession throughout Europe – together with 5 years within the Premier League – and with the Dutch nationwide staff.”
Justin Cochrane
Former Antigua and Barbuda worldwide Cochrane has been an England coach at youth stage and was made “the ultimate appointment to a trusted assist staff” by new Three Lions boss Tuchel in February.
Cochrane mixed the position together with his teaching job underneath Frank at Brentford and has now moved together with his membership supervisor to Spurs.
“He’ll be accountable for the offensive a part of the sport and coaching planning, getting that clean and operating,” defined Frank.
Andreas Georgson
Considered one of a number of teaching appointments made by ill-fated Manchester United supervisor Erik ten Hag final summer time, Georgsen stayed on when Ruben Amorim succeeded the Dutchman in November however left the membership on the finish of the season.
The Swede’s jobs during the last 5 years have included Head of Set Items and Particular person Developments at Brentford, teaching for Mikel Arteta at Arsenal, assistant supervisor at Malmo, set-piece work for ex-Southampton supervisor Russell Martin and the managerial hotseat at Lillestrom.
“He shall be assistant coach however his primary focus shall be on set items and restarts [of play],” stated Frank, whose Brentford aspect gained a popularity for threatening from kick-off final season.
Chris Haslam
Head of Efficiency Haslam carried out an analogous position for greater than a decade at Brentford and has labored with Denmark’s senior aspect.
“The gamers love playfulness and competitors,” Haslam advised Training Ground Guru. “That’s the easiest way to win, when it comes to the psychological restoration aspect.”
Frank described Haslam’s duties as “the bodily a part of the soccer coaching and all that, but additionally the hyperlink to all the pieces”.
Fabian Otte
Goalkeeping coach Otte joined Liverpool when Arne Slot took over from Jurgen Klopp earlier than the 2024/25 season, serving to the membership win the Premier League and sharing pictures of himself on their bus parade across the metropolis celebrating.
“We’re actually enthusiastic about him coming in,” stated Frank. “He’s obtained nice expertise when it comes to working with among the finest goalkeepers on the planet, and hopefully he can push the goalkeepers ahead.”
Otte has beforehand labored with groups together with the USA, Burnley and Borussia Monchengladbach and Hoffenheim in Germany.
Cameron Campbell
Frank’s First Staff Particular person Growth Coach has been working with RB Leipzig’s academy for 18 months and was a youth coach at Rangers, in addition to spells in Denmark and Ghana.
“He’s a person coach who’s massive on how we develop the gamers,” Frank stated of the 33-year-old. “That was an enormous want from Johan and I, one thing we talked about and thought was essential.
“Not many golf equipment have nailed that. We’ve tried prior to now and, hopefully, we are able to take it to the following stage.”
Joe Newton
Former Tranmere Rovers apprentice Newton helped Frank’s Brentford win promotion to the Premier League in 2021 in his first place after graduating in sports activities science.
“He shall be like a coach analyst – a bridge between the evaluation staff and the teaching workers, so we ensure all the pieces is aligned when it comes to coaching, matches, debriefs pre and post-match and the way we put together for opponents,” stated Frank.
“Our ideas in the way in which we play are a very powerful factor, however with the twist of how we tweak it for every opponent.”
Thomas Frank: Tottenham supervisor underneath stress
Tottenham had a dismal home season in 2024/25, shedding 22 and profitable 11 of their 38 matches, together with a return of 1 level from their closing seven video games.
Frank, whose Brentford aspect completed tenth, held coaching for the primary time on the second weekend of July, with the beginning of their pleasant schedule at third-tier Studying on the horizon.
By the point Heitinga arrived, Frank had spent a substantial time period among the many favourites to grow to be the following Premier League supervisor to depart their position.
Following a promising begin to the marketing campaign, Tottenham had fallen eight factors behind fourth-placed Liverpool with a run of 1 win in seven matches in all competitions, together with an FA Cup third-round defeat at dwelling to Aston Villa.
Tottenham additionally confirmed the appointment of Carlos Raphael Moersen as first director of soccer operations, becoming a member of from the Metropolis Soccer Group that oversees golf equipment together with Manchester Metropolis.
