Didi Hamann, a former midfielder for Liverpool, had a great time at Anfield, but there were times when the German needed time away from the supporters so he wouldn’t be upset.
Dietmar Hamann had a deep affection for Liverpool; but, “Didi” has acknowledged that when he was in the mood for some quiet time in the pub, he would sometimes go to the blue side.
The German was one of those players who, although not particularly spectacular or eye-catching, made an impression on the supporters of the teams he played for. It also didn’t hurt that he scored a penalty in the Champions League final in 2005, which was helpful at Anfield. After spending a protracted and fruitful period at Bayern Munich, Hamann played nearly 200 games for the Scouse team before joining the Reds in 1996 from Newcastle United.
However, in an interview with Peter Crouch, he disclosed that, when he simply wanted to avoid being disturbed by fans, he would frequently go to the blue side of Merseyside for a drink.
“They didn’t harass me in the red pubs, but sometimes you want a bit of peace,” Hamann said on That Peter Crouch Podcast. Should I go out for a pint by myself, it’s because I don’t want to talk to anyone. I wouldn’t travel alone if I wanted to talk to someone!
However, I must admit that Liverpool supporters are really considerate. You don’t get harassed as you might, example, in Italy. Although I’ve never played there, they claim to touch you and constantly want to snap pictures. It was perfectly OK because there were no genuine camera phones back then; all they wanted was to shake your hand or get your signature. However, my favorite places to go was definitely blue pubs.
Members of the team have talked extensively about what happened the night following the Champions League final in 2005, and Hamann made a comment about the team’s drinking customs.
“And there was never any trouble because people would say, ‘Oh, you go to an Everton pub?'” he continued. Simply said, “Yeah.” People are grateful for that. We went out on an unusual night, and occasionally people become crazy when they drink, but in all the seven years I was there, there was never a single instance where I thought, “Oh, this could get out of hand now.”
This makes the city unique, which is also the reason I visited and spent a considerable amount of time there. It was fantastic; it was the longest and most successful time I had ever played for a club.
In Liverpool, Hamann’s standing as a cult hero will never fade. And he’ll probably get away with merely wanting to enjoy his favorite beverage uninterrupted.
