What happened. Van Hecke said the long-haul pre-season tour to New Zealand and Australia left him struggling for one or two weeks, fueling theories it contributed to Spurs' injury list.

Van Hecke had less than three weeks between World Cup exit and tour departure.
He played in all four Netherlands World Cup games before joining Spurs.
Micky van de Ven picked up an injury during the tour and missed pre-season.

“For physical-wise, of course, it impacts your body. I also struggled for one or two weeks after and that's not ideal.”
— Jan Paul van Hecke

Spurs' injury problems may be linked to the demanding travel schedule, with van de Ven already returning from injury.

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J. van Hecke

Tottenham

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