MusaJamie O’Hara has launched a furious attack on Tottenham Hotspur defender Jan Paul van Hecke following his disappointing performance in Spurs’ Premier League clash against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Tottenham rescued a dramatic 1-1 draw against Manchester United on Saturday evening, despite being reduced to 10 men during the closing stages of the encounter.
Bryan Mbeumo gave Michael Carrick’s side the advantage in the 73rd minute, punishing Tottenham’s defensive shortcomings with a well-taken finish.
The situation became even more difficult for Roberto De Zerbi’s men five minutes later when Rodrigo Bentancur received a straight red card for headbutting Luke Shaw, leaving Spurs with 10 players to finish the game.
However, Tottenham refused to surrender and found a late equaliser through Dominic Solanke in the second minute of stoppage time, earning a valuable point away from home.
Despite the late drama, former Tottenham midfielder and talkSPORT pundit Jamie O’Hara was far from impressed with the performance of summer signing Van Hecke.
The pundit singled out the Netherlands international for his involvement in Manchester United’s opening goal, arguing that the defender gave Mbeumo far too much space and time to turn inside the penalty area before finding the net.
O’Hara was particularly frustrated with what he perceived as a lack of urgency from the centre-back, questioning whether the £52 million signing from Brighton and Hove Albion was good enough to represent Tottenham.
Jamie O’Hara Delivers Brutal Verdict on Van Hecke
Speaking on talkSPORT during the programme at 7 pm on October 10, 2026, O’Hara did not hold back as he criticised the defender’s contribution to Mbeumo’s goal.
He said: “Van Hecke, what is he doing?
“Cement in his feet, cement.
“He has got cement in his boots.
“He is guff.
“He is absolute guff.
“Free shot, inside your box, an absolute joke.
“This team is beyond a joke.
“I am sick of it, I am sick of it, I am sick of it, I am sick of it.”
The former Spurs player was equally angry about the decision to bring Van Hecke to north London, questioning the judgement of those responsible for the club’s recruitment.
O’Hara continued: “Who signed Van Hecke, who?
“He needs sacking, he needs sacking.
“Brighton have had our absolute pants down; they have had our pants down.
“Who signed him?
“Donkey.
“And we let Vuskovic go, and we got a donkey at the back.
“Every time anyone stands him up one v one, he gets a shot off.
“He is guff.”
O’Hara’s comments underline the growing frustration surrounding Tottenham’s defensive performance, particularly after conceding a goal that could have been prevented with better positioning and defensive awareness.
Although Spurs managed to secure a point through Solanke’s late intervention, the goal conceded to Mbeumo remained a major talking point after the final whistle.
Chris Waddle Also Questions Van Hecke’s Defensive Display
O’Hara was not the only former footballer to express concerns about Van Hecke’s role in Manchester United’s goal.
Former Tottenham winger Chris Waddle also highlighted the defender’s struggles when discussing the incident on BBC Radio 5 Live.
Waddle acknowledged Tottenham’s overall performance but suggested that Van Hecke failed to deal comfortably with the situation that allowed Mbeumo to score.
He said: “Tottenham have dominated this game but that was a good finish from Bryan Mbeumo.
“United have played in front of Tottenham a lot.
“He gets it out of his feet and Jan Paul van Hecke doesn’t look comfortable.
“I never saw this coming but Tottenham have been punished.”
The criticism from both pundits is likely to intensify scrutiny of Van Hecke following his performance at Old Trafford.
While Tottenham showed determination to fight back with 10 men and claim a late draw, the defensive lapse that allowed Manchester United to take the lead has become one of the biggest talking points from the encounter.
For Van Hecke, the challenge now will be to respond to the criticism and demonstrate that he can justify Tottenham’s reported £52 million investment in his services.
Musa
