Dietmar Hamann was signed by Kenny Dalglish in 1998.
The midfielder had just played in the 1998 World Cup for Germany and after winning trophies, including Bundesliga titles, with Bayern Munich, wanted a new challenge.
Summer 1998 saw the midfielder join Newcastle United for £5.5m.
Nothing has ever been properly explained as to why it happened but after Newcastle drew 0-0 at home to Charlton and then 1-1 away at Chelsea, Kenny Dalglish was either sacked or resigned as NUFC manager.
So after only two games, Dietmar Hamann saw the manager who signed him leave, with Ruud Gullit taking over.
The midfielder spent only one season at St James’ Park but helped United get to the 1998 FA Cup final and he looked a very decent player. Liverpool agreeing and paying £8m for him.
Now BBC Sport have been reporting on Micah Richards and Alan Shearer discussing the German midfielder:
On the latest episode of Match of the Day: Top 10, Alan Shearer and Micah Richards waxed lyrical about German midfielder Dietmar Hamann, who played in the Premier League for Liverpool, as well as with Shearer at Newcastle United and Richards at Manchester City.
“We used to call him ‘Der Kaiser’ at City. What a character he is,” said Richards.
“When I was a youngster coming through, we used to stay at the Radisson in Manchester. There was a German market and he used to call me to his room.
“I was thinking: ‘It’s a senior pro, he wants to give me some advice.’ He says: ‘Run to the German market and go and get me some sausages.’
“I didn’t mind going for ‘Der Kaiser’. He is a top, top bloke.”
Shearer added: “Yeah he was a good player. Great lad. Great for the dressing room.
“He didn’t mind everyone taking the mick out of him and gave a little bit back. But he was really good fun.
“He could strike a ball.”
The Alan Shearer comment about Dietmar Hamann having been game for a laugh and a great character, can’t help but take you back to Christmas 1998…
The infamous Secret Santa, where Newcastle United players each anonymously bought another player an ‘amusing’ present.
This Secret Santa event made headlines.
Temuri Ketsbaia got a hairbrush (The ‘joke’ – He was bald).
Duncan Ferguson got a prison style shirt (The ‘joke’ – He had been previously a guest in such an establishment).
Alessandro Pistone a sheep’s heart (The ‘joke’ – He allegedly needed one because of some of his performances)
Dietmar Hamann a copy of Mein Kampf (The ‘joke’ – He (Hamann) was / is German).
The Mein Kampf title translates in English to ‘My Struggle’, which I suppose could be the autobiography title for any Newcastle United fan.
However, this one of course was written by Adolf Hitler, in which he outlines his political ideology and future plans for Germany, written whilst in prison before coming to power. The book is banned in Germany but one (or more) of Hamann’s teammates had managed to track down a copy.
Humour is of course subjective and I wonder just what would be given out by the current Newcastle United playing squad to each other, if doing a Secret Santa these days…