Jan Paul van Hecke was told that he was the ‘standout’ player for the Netherlands as the Tottenham Hotspur target impressed against Japan.
The 26-year-old was making his World Cup debut, and the Brighton man has impressed many following his performance in Holland’s opening match.
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The Brighton defender was partnered by Virgil van Dijk, with Micky van de Ven, and he looked like the better of the two players.
Following the 2-2 draw with Japan, the local media in the Netherlands have been assessing the players’ performance, and Van Hecke certainly seemed to impress.
Pierre van Hooijdonk named Jan Paul van Hecke as the standout player vs Japan
Former Dutch striker Pierre van Hooijdonk named Tottenham Hotspur transfer target Jan Paul van Hecke as the standout player against Japan.
Van Hecke, who has agreed to join Tottenham, produced a very assured performance during his World Cup debut.
The defender completed 87 passes, won five duels, completed five clearances, and made two progressive carries during the 90 minutes.
Speaking on NOS via VoetbalZone about Van Hecke, Van Hooijdonk said: “He was the absolute standout for Oranje tonight.
“I certainly think so. Not that he is a striking player in terms of his antics on the ball, but what is incredibly good is his passing, which causes you to lose a number of players, particularly through the middle.
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“He is a tough guy, rock hard. He even got hit in the head with a shoe at the start of the match. He was among the better players.”
Meanwhile, the media in Holland were also impressed by van Hecke and gave him positive reviews following the 2-2 draw.
- Voetbal Primeur gave him a 6/10: “On his World Cup debut, Van Hecke held his own well.
“Early on, he played with a bump on his cheekbone, tangible proof of his commitment. The man from Zeeland looked reliable and did not get into major trouble.” - Meanwhile, VoetbalZone rated his performance a 6.5/10, which was slightly higher than Micky van de Ven’s 6/10 rating.
Van Hecke is expected to sign for Tottenham this summer, and Roberto De Zerbi will be excited to close the deal after watching his display against Japan.
Pierre van Hooijdonk blames Micky van de Ven for Japan’s equaliser
For Van de Ven, it was not quite as memorable an evening as it was for Van Hecke, as the Tottenham defender was blamed for the late equaliser.
Van Hooijdonk believes that the 25-year-old was at fault for the goal in the 88th minute, as he lost track of Koki Ogawa, whose header was turned in by Daichi Kamada.
“Van de Ven has completely lost track of Ogawa!” Van Hooijdonk told NOS. “You see him (Ogawa) walking around, and eventually you are the one standing in man-mark. He (Ogawa) is completely unmarked. Van de Ven is nowhere to be seen.”
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