John Heitinga
John Gijsbert Alan "Johnny" Heitinga (born 15 November 1983) is a Dutch football coach and a former player who played as a centre back. He is currently an assistant first-team coach at Premier League club West Ham United.
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Heitinga as manager of Ajax in 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | John Gijsbert Alan Heitinga | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 15 November 1983 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Alphen aan den Rijn, Netherlands | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Centre back | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | West Ham United (first team coach) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1987–1990 | ARC | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1990–2001 | Ajax | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2008 | Ajax | 152 | (17) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2009 | Atlético Madrid | 28 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2014 | Everton | 115 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014 | Fulham | 14 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2015 | Hertha BSC | 13 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015–2016 | Ajax | 2 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 324 | (24) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2013 | Netherlands | 87 | (7) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2021 | Ajax A1 (U19) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021–2023 | Jong Ajax | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023 | Ajax | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023– | West Ham United (assistant) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
A product of the Ajax Youth Academy, he played for their first squad from 2001 to 2008. After a one-year spell at Atlético Madrid in Spain, he signed for Everton in 2009. Joining Fulham for six months in January 2014, he then signed with German side Hertha BSC the following summer, signing a two-year deal with the club from Berlin. In June 2015 he returned to his first club, Ajax.
Since his debut for the Netherlands national team in February 2004, Heitinga had over 85 caps and represented his country at two World Cups (2006 and 2010) and three European Championships (2004, 2008, and 2012). In 2008, Heitinga was named Dutch Footballer of the Year. He is of mixed Dutch and Indo ancestry.