A good article on Didi Hamann
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Saluting The Old Kaiser Of Anfield
http://www.football365.com/opinion/f365_opinion/story_188589.shtml
12/07/06
Dietmar Hamann ends seven years at Liverpool this week and Darren Phillips looks at the legacy left by a player whose talent allowed Stevie G to become a hero. Would they have won the Champions League without him?
Over the past month the entire world has turned its eyes towards Germany - a country that has thrown off its stereotypes and welcomed the world, albeit in the shape of 32 teams, and in return has found itself completely embraced.
With the exception of Bert Trautmann and Jurgen Klinsmann there have been few imports from that country to have been cherished in the British game. Ask many football fans and they won't even think of Dietmar Hamann if asked to name the most influential German player to ply his trade on these shores. Though that wouldn't be true of Liverpool fans. Or indeed those of Newcastle United. Nor his teammates at either club who all realise The Kaiser's true worth.
Gerard Houllier broke the club's transfer record to land the midfielder back in 1999. Hindsight is always 20/20 but even with its benefit seven years on you can see it was £8million well spent.
His balanced play on the ball, excellent passing, vision and ability to read play are only a few of his attributes. At least the forward-thinking ones. Add to that his ability to effortlessly break up play and you see more value to his precise distribution.
Then there is his record with the dead ball. Either with a free-kick or a penalty. It's no exaggeration to say that two of the latter alongside his appearances as a substitute earned Liverpool Champions League and FA Cup wins in successive seasons.
Back in Istanbul, Steve Finnan's injury provided an incentive for Rafa Benitez to make a change but the game was crying out for Hamann's steady influence, which in turn allowed Steven Gerrard to maraud upfield and inspire a destiny.
However, Stevie may have been the public face of the stirring comeback, but Didi was its spiritual leader. Quietly doing his job and doing it extremely well despite fracturing his foot.
Then turn the clock forward just under a year and to The Millennium Stadium. Liverpool trailed West Ham United 3-2 with 19 minutes left on the clock. The game was up for grabs but with Xabi Alonso on the sidelines the engine room needed something extra to combat the potent union of Nigel Reo-Coker and Carl Fletcher. The manager turned to someone he knew could anchor midfield, giving his skipper a chance to move forward and eventually score the most remarkable goal in cup final history.
Neither changes were accidental and nor was the order of penalty-takers at both venues. Hamann stepped up first each time and with Serginho and Bobby Zamora having both missed their club's openers the pressure could not have been higher. But with the same paused run-up the ball was slammed past Dida and Shaka Hislop respectively. Heaping the pressure on the next taker and then the one after that. It may only have been a one-off shot against a keeper rather than a goal of the season contender, but recent experience has shown that this is far from the easiest task.
It's the same type of influence he had on his country's 2002 World Cup campaign. In Japan and South Korea, Germany had just one more experienced player in the shape of keeper Oliver Kahn. The outfield needed a guiding hand which Didi applied. In that capacity he became the first Liverpool player since Roger Hunt to play in a World Cup final and the eventual defeat to Brazil could not be laid at Hamann's door.
Jurgen Klinsmann had dropped Didi from his side soon after taking charge two years ago. He had Michael Ballack to do a similar type of job though had no choice but to recall him last year, only for that broken foot bone to wreck his comeback and possibly his chances of playing this summer.
To all these achievements add the fact that Didi effectively ended Kevin Keegan's stewardship of England when his free-kick looked to have wrecked England's hopes of qualifying for the 2002 World Cup with the last goal at the old Wembley Stadium.
It's sad that the one-year option on his contract which could have been brought in to play after the stated number of appearances were made was not finally exercised. We have Mo Sissoko, Xabi Alonso and Gerrard to patrol the centre of midfield, but The Kaiser would never have let us down, but with Bolo Zenden due to return and some of his best games for Middlesbrough coming in that position, plus the need to bring more players in to strengthen other areas, this parting of the ways was inevitable.
However, we should be glad that he will remain in the English game and be able to showcase his talents in the Premiership for a few more years at least. A great reception is assured next term. No matter whose colours he may be wearing.
This article first appeared on the ever-excellent www.shanklygates.co.uk
Goodbye Didier....
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bye didi!
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auf wiedersehen, 'Der Kaiser' Dietmar Hamann !
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good player...good move for him...rather than staying at liverpool...
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my fond memory of him was when he was at newcastle scoring against arsenal.
if i'm not wrong, he juggled the ball that blasted it into the back of the net. -
I clearly remember that at Newcastle Didi was a scoring midfielder.
His long range shots were powerful and on target. That was what we thought we were getting when Houllier bought him. I was anticipating a high scoring midfielder banging in the goals for us.
Well that was not to be. Somehow, Didi became a totally different type of player for Liverpool. Houllier's doing I guess.
Hamann rarely scored any goals for us. And his long range shooting was rubbish.
But his reading of the game and intercepting balls, breaking up opponent's attacks was very very good.
He served Liverpool well and we wish him all the best.