Tottenham defender Jan Paul van Hecke has voiced his displeasure with Getafe's aggressive style of play during a recent pre-season friendly, suggesting the Spanish club's tactics were excessive for a friendly encounter.
The match, held behind closed doors at Tottenham's Hotspur Way training ground on Saturday, concluded in a 1-1 draw after 70 minutes. Getafe had taken the lead in the second half through Alberto Risco, but Conor Gallagher secured a late equalizer for Spurs.
Van Hecke, who joined Tottenham from Brighton for £60 million in June, felt the visitors' intensity was beyond what is typically expected in a friendly. "Sometimes it’s good, I thought today was a bit too much from their side," the Dutch centre-back told SPURSPLAY. "Sometimes it’s not necessary, especially in a friendly."
He added that he believed Getafe could have seen "two or three red cards" in a regular competitive fixture, acknowledging that such physicality might be characteristic of their usual play. "We knew beforehand that they can do it but it’s a friendly so sometimes you think maybe a bit less," Van Hecke stated.
Despite the criticism, Van Hecke acknowledged the need for Tottenham to match Getafe's intensity. "We need to also be at our top then because if you’re not putting in your foot, then they are going to win it," he explained. "If that’s what the game asks, then you also need to put your foot in and battle with them. Otherwise they win the battles, and that’s what you don’t want."
Reflecting on the match's heated moments, Van Hecke noted that reactions often stem from the initial actions. "You see sometimes it gets a bit heated, but that’s also because of the reaction you know. If you get kicked, you are gonna react," he said. "And you think, ‘next time, I’ll get you back’. That’s why I say it’s a friendly, so sometimes you’ve got be like, ‘oh boys, let’s be a bit calm, don’t be provoked."
In other news, Paul Barber hints at Brighton and Hove Albion contract news, and there is speculation predicting which clubs the summer's biggest free agents will sign for. Meanwhile, Tottenham faces scrutiny over why James Maddison was not awarded a penalty against Leeds, as the Premier League issues a statement.
New Spurs signing unhappy with LaLiga side’s overly physical gameplan
New Spurs signing Van Hecke was not impressed with the visitors’ intense gameplan, which he considered to be overly combative for a pre-season contest.
