[Albion] Jan Paul van Hecke - contracted to June 2027

[albionalex]

Lewis Dunk played 90 minutes two days ago. Don't know if its "harsh" or not but it appears to be wrong.

If we've "moved on a bit from Dunk" it suggests we have at least two central defenders that are better than him and I don't see that. None of Webster or Igor are likely to displace Dunk and there's no 20-year-old superkiddo challenging for it either.

Next summer could be a "defense makeover". Van Hecke will leave, he looks a Manchester City (if they still exist by then) player to me. Igor should also be out by then. Veltman going back home to Ajax. Dunk and Webster will be around and a real grown footballer along some Swedish or Danish 20-year-old kid will be brought in as the new defenders - and Dunk will remain safely in the starting eleven.

Lets revisit the subject in 2026.

Maybe even January if we go back in for Boscagli.

 

[peterward]

I was thinking we should be looking for a long term Dunk replacement this summer so we can put him on the pathway but I still think Dunk will be great for us this season.

This. Still plenty of life in the old warhorse, but JPVH is the future. I hope we can tie him down and he wants to stay long term.

 

[Sarisbury Seagull]

That was his coming of age game. He’d gone from a couple of shaky performances to marking the world best striker out of a game. He took so much from that performance and has got better and better from there.

Naa, I thought that performance was a bit over rated against a massively hungover City who were very much on the beach already and couldn't give a shit. Haaland was way off it. He then had some shaky games at the start of the following season/last season

His real coming of age performances though were last November away to Ajax and away to Forest after Dunk got his idiotic red card, he was absolutely magnificent in both games when we under real pressure at times and almost single handedly got us the 3 points in both games. He showed he was a brilliant defender and true leader and his confidence soared. The JPVH before and after November last year were quite different.

His improvement throughout last season was incredible. I can't remember many player's progress as much as he did so quickly - from the player who looked like an imposter who's team mates wouldn't pass to him away to Leicester in January 2023 to the colossus that became our best defender by the end of that same year was just incredible.

I don't credit RDZ for much, and I'm still not sure how much credit to give him for this as if we'd signed Colwill, I don't think Van Hecke would have featured as much, but he deserves some plaudits for JPVH's progression.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Naa, I thought that performance was a bit over rated against a massively hungover City who were very much on the beach already and couldn't give a shit. Haaland was way off it. He then had some shaky games at the start of the following season/last season

His real coming of age performances though were last November away to Ajax and away to Forest after Dunk got his idiotic red card, he was absolutely magnificent in both games when we under real pressure at times and at times almost single handedly got us the 3 points in both games. He showed he was a brilliant defender and true leader and his confidence soared. The JPVH before and after November last year were quite different.

His improvement throughout last season was incredible. I can't remember many player progress as much as he did so quickly - from the player who looked like an imposter who's team mates wouldn't pass to him away to Leicester in January 2023 to the colossus that became our best defender by the end of that same year was just incredible.

I don't credit RDZ for much, and I'm still not sure how much credit to give him for this as if we'd signed Colwill, I don't think Van Hecke would have featured as much, but he deserves some plaudits for JPVH's progression.

This is very true. He was MAGNIFICENT.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

I get the model, we get decent young players, bring them through, sell them on.

But this has only worked because we've got a core of servants. People who know the culture of the club, steady hands to help bring the youngsters through.

This is what I hope Van Hecke becomes. The next step for us is to be able to convince a player like JPVH to sign new deals until he's in his 30's and we reject any offers that come along, that aren't Caicedo £115m levels of craziness.

I'm not saying we stop selling, of course we still sell. But I hope that we can identify the next generation of Dunk, Veltman, March, Gross type players and build the club around them for the next 5+ years. JPVH seems to fit the bill.

It won't be easy, big clubs will offer good money for players like that. But if we can get European football regularly we have a chance.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Naa, I thought that performance was a bit over rated against a massively hungover City who were very much on the beach already and couldn't give a shit. Haaland was way off it. He then had some shaky games at the start of the following season/last season

Agree with you. Haaland missed a free header from 6 yards out in that game. This Man City thing is a thing which people have kept saying to each other till it came true.

In my mind, the truth is that there has been steady improvement all the time he's been playing. He's had great games, good games and bad games as you would expect from any promising young CB in this division

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

I get the model, we get decent young players, bring them through, sell them on.

But this has only worked because we've got a core of servants. People who know the culture of the club, steady hands to help bring the youngsters through.

This is what I hope Van Hecke becomes. The next step for us is to be able to convince a player like JPVH to sign new deals until he's in his 30's and we reject any offers that come along, that aren't Caicedo £115m levels of craziness.

I'm not saying we stop selling, of course we still sell. But I hope that we can identify the next generation of Dunk, Veltman, March, Gross type players and build the club around them for the next 5+ years. JPVH seems to fit the bill.

It won't be easy, big clubs will offer good money for players like that. But if we can get European football regularly we have a chance.

This is pretty much my thinking too. I'd love him and hinshelwood to become the mainstays of the team.

I think it's a really important role and fundamental to how we will continue our progress.

 

[Weststander]

His fee was just €2m according to Naylor. Rising to €3m.

 

[seagull_special]

The brilliant thing about Dunk is that he makes his partners look excellent, couldn’t think of a better partner and mentor for JPVH. Maybe Dunk has peaked but as captain and an excellent CB he has a few more years in him. JPVH is my favourite player at this time. He is like the Terminator.

 

[seagull_special]

PS - Love Webster too

 

[METALMICKY]

PS - Love Webster too

Comes across as a top fella and has been looking good. However, his Achilles heel is being prone to injuries and when if comes back if always looks decidedly shakey and liable to make a key error. I'd love him to stay injury free. He may still not get too many starts but last year told us that we needed strength in depth.

 

[seagull_special]

Comes across as a top fella and has been looking good. However, his Achilles heel is being prone to injuries and when if comes back if always looks decidedly shakey and liable to make a key error. I'd love him to stay injury free. He may still not get too many starts but last year told us that we needed strength in depth.

It’s very difficult to get that match fitness if you don’t get 5 or 6 games in a row. I am glad he is one of our back ups too. Was a bit surprised one of the promoted teams didn’t come in for him as injury free he would be ideal.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Not sure many teams could afford the price tag on him.

Next club captain. Loves his quizzing of every decision.

 

[veuve]

Second half substitute.

 

[veuve]

Debut for the Dutch.

 

[veuve]

Two current BHAFC players(Bart,jpvh) against two former players (gross,undav) good game.

 

[DJ NOBO]

His fee was just €2m according to Naylor. Rising to €3m.

Well we got done there

 

[aolstudios]

 

[pigmanovich]

What an upgrade

 

[aolstudios]

What an upgrade