This year has seen Jan Paul van Hecke make his breakthrough with the Albion. The 23-year-old defender talks us through his early days as a part of Roberto De Zerbi’s first-team squad.
Well, JP, 2023 has been a good year for you so far…
I didn’t really play that much last season, but I had a feeling that my level was good to play. You always want to play and when I wasn’t, I was always telling myself that this manager is special, this club is special, so it was all about staying patient and then taking my chance when it came. I managed to do that towards the end of the season, where I had a few good games in a row, so I got a lot of confidence from that. Pre-season also went well, so I thought, ‘let’s see what this season brings’ and I’ve played pretty regularly so far..
You spent the 2021/22 season on loan at Blackburn, where you were named Player of the Season. How does the Championship compare to the Prem?
There’s a huge difference. Don’t get me wrong, the Championship is also a really tough league because you seem to be playing every three days and it’s quite intense, but the level in the Premier League is completely different – not just the way we play at Brighton but also the players we are facing are better of course. The best players in the world are in this league so it’s going to be a much tougher challenge.
One slip and the ball’s in the net at this level, right?
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Sometimes, yes. The strikers at this level obviously have more quality, so if you make a mistake then they can be ruthless and score. That’s the big difference, but also technically, the players are better at this level. The Championship is not a bad league at all, in fact it’s a really strong league, but the Premier League is the best in the world.
How did you find the step-up personally?
Those first games were completely different to what I had been used to, both physically and mentally, but once I started to get a few games in my legs, many more minutes on the pitch, I felt more comfortable at the level. When I go onto the pitch now, I know what to expect, which is the most important thing.
You mention the mental aspect. Is that a part of the game that often gets overlooked?
I think it’s a big, big part of football. When you’re concentrating during the game, how you deal with setbacks, how you deal with the pressure of playing at this level, it’s a side of the game that people don’t see. People see you go on the pitch, play and maybe have some fun, but you need to win, you always need to play well to stay in the team, and that needs mental strength. You always have to show your best – so physically you have to be sharp but even more so in your head.
It’s a rollercoaster ride – and that was never more evident for you last season when we lost 4-1 at Newcastle but then you kept Erling Haaland quiet in your next game the following week…
That performance against City was really important and gave me such a confidence boost after the Newcastle game. The team was not playing well [at St James’ Park], I was not playing well, and having not played that many games at this level, I felt I didn’t have enough left in the tank in the last 20 minutes and we conceded late goals. I then got the chance to show myself again six days later against Manchester City, and it went really well. You think you can show yourself well, because you’ve done it in training against the really good players that we have in our squad, but then it’s all about doing it against the best players and I was really happy that I showed I could play against the best striker in the world and do well. I was buzzing after that game.
So how do you stop a player like Haaland then?
I just kept telling myself to keep close to him and do not switch off for one moment. That’s what I managed to do and we came out of the game with a draw which of course was so important for us [securing a Europa League spot]. That week did show the ups and downs that you experience in football. One day people are questioning whether you’re good enough, the next you play really well, but that’s football and it’s why we love it because it’s a game of opinions.
With so many games and competitions, there’s been a lot of squad rotation this season. How do you cope with that?
The manager gets us all into a position during the training sessions where everyone is ready to play and knows exactly what they need to do when they do go out onto the pitch, so it’s not a problem for us. We’ve had the occasional disappointment this season but overall it’s been a really good start. Rotation is a part of football and you just need to be ready to play should the manager pick you for the next game. Personally, I know that I have to keep working hard in training and keep trying to improve – that will give me the best chance to play in the team.
How have you found playing for the gaffer?
Like everyone else, it’s been a really positive experience. When he came in, it was a big difference for everyone, but if you look where we now are, a year later, we’ve made real progress. Whether it’s training or in games, we’re all really enjoying our football and I’m sure it’s the same for the fans and also the manager himself. He’s given me my opportunity to play more regularly here and I have to make the most of that opportunity.
What’s been your favourite game of the season so far?
I have two: Newcastle at home and Man United away – against two really tough opponents. Against Newcastle, we gave the perfect response after the West Ham game and looked really sharp at both ends of the pitch. Then to win at Old Trafford was special because not many teams manage it but we again scored three goals which shows just how well we did that day. They were both excellent performances and set the standards for us to reach on a regular basis this season.
Finally, when are we going to see another JP goal?
[smiles] I’ve only scored one goal so far at Bournemouth [for Blackburn] and it is one of the best memories so far. It gave us a 2-0 lead and I remember sliding on my knees in front of the away fans – I was really happy. I scored a few goals earlier in my career in Holland but I do need to go again and score for Brighton. Hopefully that will come sooner rather than later!