VIDEO: The Didi Man – Hamann on his love for Liverpool
DIETMAR HAMANN, the “World’s first German Scouser”, releases his book, “The Didi Man – My Love Affair with Liverpoool” on February 2nd and it promises to be an engaging – and funny – read.
The Didi Man – available to pre-order
Didi was signed by Kenny Dalglish from Bayern Munich in 1998 – but that was when Kenny was manager of Newcastle. A year later Gerard Houllier signed him for Liverpool and so began that special bond with the city and the club. As a Liverpool player he picked up a string of winners medals, including two League Cups, 2 FA Cups, a UEFA Cup and of course that Champions League winners medal in 2005. He also played in a World Cup final for Germany during his time at Anfield.
The player admits he likes a drink and a smoke and the book is littered with phrases he wouldn’t have picked up in English lessons at school back in Germany. He talks about his relationship with Houllier and with Rafa Benitez (who, he says, “doesn’t fanny around”). He also talks about his friendship with Jamie Carragher, “The Cultural Attaché for Bootle”, and their scrapes in Flares nightclub and also in Japan.
For a taste of what the book is about the publishers Headline have helped come up with this video, “The Didi Man: My Love Affair with Liverpool – In 5 fab factoids!” Didi is in it, and so is another familiar face to Liverpool fans, albeit dressing differently to how we might normally see him. A bit of music from The Beatles courtesy of The Hope Street Buskers fits in nicely – much like Didi did as he made that central midfield position his own, much like he did when he settled into Scouse and English culture.
Hamann discusses the highs and lows of his time so far in football but even the lows don’t seem that bad the way “the Kaiser” uses his sense of humour to tell them. His get-up for his arrival at Anfield is something he’ll probably never live down, but he’ll laugh about it as much as anyone.
“The Didi Man – My Love Affair With Liverpool” is available for pre-order now, ready for its February release.