Theo Janssen is scathing: 'He is currently the very weakest link in the Netherlands national team'

Jan Paul van Hecke is currently the weakest link in the Netherlands team. That is what Theo Janssen thinks, he says on the programme Rondo on Ziggo Sport.

Over the past week, Van Hecke partnered Virgil van Dijk in central defence against both Germany (1-1) and Serbia (1-2 win). The defender from Zeeland did not impress Janssen.

Speaking about the last match, Janssen says: “In the last match, it struck me that they build up quite a lot with three men: Van Hecke, Van Dijk and Van de Ven,” Janssen begins his analysis. “You can see that very clearly in their style of play.”

Then he turns to Van Hecke’s role. “But then you start taking a critical look at Van Hecke’s role. And I actually hear very few people talking about it, but for me Van Hecke is currently by far the weakest link we have in the Netherlands team. On the ball, but also defensively.”

Janssen continues: “He plays a lot of simple short passes, he does not dribble forward and shows very little initiative. He has a very strong tendency to stay in the centre. That is the problem for me with Van Hecke.”

Once Van Hecke is dragged wide, Janssen sees a problem. “As soon as he ends up playing out wide, because Dumfries is already on his way, he is unbelievably vulnerable. He is very slow and his timing is not always good. That is something that kept standing out to me with him: he gives the ball away a lot with passes of ten to fifteen metres through the middle.”

One moment from the 89th minute against Serbia is used as an example. Van Hecke tries to build from the back inside his own penalty area, but loses possession in a dangerous spot.

That drew an incredulous response from Janssen. “Seriously, what are you doing, man?” Janssen responds in disbelief. “That ball has to go to the striker, but once again he wants to play out from the back. If Timber is fit, Xavi has to put him in there immediately. The Dumfries-Van Hecke pairing is hopeless.”