The Didi Man

Dietmar "Didi" Hamann is a complete one-off. The foreigner with a Scouse accent. The German who now plays cricket for his local village team. The overseas footballer turned anglophile who fell deeply in love with the city of Liverpool, its people and its eponymous football club. The classy midfielder had a long and distinguished playing career, but it was his seven seasons at Anfield that marked him out forever as a true Liverpool legend. His cult status was secured when he came off the bench at half-time during the 2005 Champions League final in Istanbul to inspire his team to a dramatic come-back and spectacular European glory. The Didi Man is Hamann's warm, personal and highly entertaining story of his time on Merseyside at a football club which will always have a very special place in his heart.

Born in Waldsassen in Germany in 1973, Dietmar Hamann played professional football for Wacker Munich, Bayern Munich, Newcastle United, Liverpool, Manchester City and Milton Keynes Dons. In club football, Hamann is much decorated, having won two Bundesliga titles, two UEFA Cups, two FA Cups and a Champions League winners' medal. At international level, he won 62 caps for his native Germany and has a 2002 World Cup runners-up medal for his efforts. In 2010 Hamann became player/coach at Milton Keynes Dons, and in 2011 he joined Leicester City as a first team coach. He has recently been appointed as Manager of Stockport County.