JOHN HEITINGA will never be fondly remembered at Chelsea and many will be hoping for a touch of revenge this evening.
The Dutchman, who brings his Ajax side to Stamford Bridge this week, was at the heart of the Everton midfield when he enraged Blues fans in 2011.
During an FA Cup fourth round replay which had gone to penalties, Heitinga converted his spot-kick before barging Ashley Cole on his way back to the halfway line.
The England and Blues left-back would go on to miss his penalty before Phil Neville dumped Carlo Ancelotti‘s side out.
A lot of time has passed since, during which Heitinga has emerged as a very promising young manager – though one who is facing mounting pressure in a difficult situation at Ajax.
The former Dutch international, who began his career in the Amsterdam club’s academy, began his coaching career back there.
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Working with the Ajax youth sides he oversaw the progression of stars such as Ryan Gravenberch and now Chelsea defender Jorrel Hato.
He gave Hato his Eredivisie debut when asked to step in as caretaker for the first team at the end of the 2022-23 season.
After an education in the Ajax academy and his brief stint as head coach, Heitinga returned to English football – giving the chance to work with his former manager, David Moyes, at West Ham.
Heitinga has often praised Moyes for his man management and the intensity with which his sides played.
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Speaking to the Athletic in 2020, Heitinga said: “I always say I had better tactical coaches but mentally he was one of the best because there was a team spirit and you wanted to fight for him.”
Those who saw Heitinga step in at West Ham remember him fondly as a kind, caring coach who was always ready to go the extra mile.
Younger players were often encouraged to stay late and work extra sessions, which Heitinga was more than ready to lay on.
When Moyes left the London Stadium, Heitinga did too and ended up alongside Arne Slot at Liverpool – where they of course won the title.
The ex-Everton man even two games in charge of the Reds when both Slot and his assistant, Sipke Hulshoff, were given two-match bans following the Merseyside derby last season.
After a year with the champions, Heitinga decided to step out on his own, back at a club he knows well but in a situation that was very unfamiliar.
The 41-year-old took his first, permanent, head coach role at a time where Ajax are not the power they were, in a football sense and financial sense in the Netherlands.
Key players were moving on. Hato joined Chelsea, Jordan Henderson returned to England with Brentford and Brain Brobbey headed for Sunderland.
Ajax remain in the middle of a rebuild but a second place finish last year, considered an overachievement by many in Amsterdam, ramped up expectations.
That was achieved with a more pragmatic approach, but the powers that be have decided that a move back to a more ‘Ajax’ style, pressing high and attacking more, is needed.
Heitinga is trying but not hitting the mark just yet, they were desperately open in a 4-0 Champions League drubbing by Marseille last time out in Europe and could face the same fate at Stamford Bridge.
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As a huge figure at the club as both a player and coach, Heitinga has support from the fans and, for now, the board, but pressure is mounting early on in his coaching career and regular observers are seeing few signs of development.
Few at Chelsea will feel much sympathy if they add to that misery.
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