Didi Hamann - World Class or Not?

[tribey]

Alreet lads, this is the deal. Seems every scouser and plastic scouser you talk to seems to think that Liverpool and Germany defensive-midfielder Dietmar Hamann is world class.

I disagree.

I think the term "world class" is bandied about far too often and easily these days. Just looking at his contempories in the Premiership alone I don't think anyone here would disagree that Patrick Vieira, Roy Keane and Claude Makelele are all worthy of the world class tag as a result of their exploits for both club and country.

Question is, does Didi merit the tag? There's no doubt he has been a consistant and important performer for Liverpool since his days at both SJP and the Olympiastadion, but is he as good as the three midfielders mentioned above? Unlike the two Frenchmen and mad b@stard Irishman we haven't seen him play regularly in the rarified atmosphere of the Champions League and we haven't seen him shape a title race.

And perhaps it's unfair to highlight two of his most appalling games, but he was useless at Wembley for us in the 1999 Cup Final and practically handed Brazil the World Cup in 2002 when caught in possession in front of his own 18-yard-box which immediately lead to Ronaldo scoring in the final.

So what do you reckon?

Is Didi Hamann world class? Get voting.

 

[Shinboners]

Hamann is a great second midfielder - he would work brilliantly if paired with a Keane or Vieira. But he's not someone that a club can build a midfield around. If he was fully fit, Liverpool could build an excellent midfield around Gerrard with Hamann in the supporting role.

Hamann is a useful player. But he's not world class because he hasn't delivered the key silverare as Keane and Vieria have done for United and Arsenal.

 

[apollo_creed]

Although Keane and Vieira are better players than Didi one thing he does have over them is shooting ability. He's got a good boot on him does Didi good on the volley, can generate great power from outside the box and seems to have quite an accurate shot as well.

He lacks the tackling abilities and overall dominance and input into a game both Keane and Vieira have but I'd have him over that little bastard Gerrard any day.

 

[Karanicolas]

Good on the ball. Neat passer of the ball. Just below world class though because:

1. One paced.

2. Lacks the ability to change the course of a match because he does not get forward enough.

3. His limitations were exposed when he had to cover for Ballack in the WC final (as an attacking midfielder).

Having said all of the above, we are a far better team when he is in the side. What we lack is a player in the Ballack mould that can play as the attacking midfielder.

Gerrard is good, but how many times has he scored (or got in the box and looked like scoring)?

 

[The Hitman]

Nope. Hits the occasional long goal and might put a through ball in every blue moon or two, but he doesn't turn games, doesn't influence results and goes missing all too much for someone classed as world class.

Good player, but not world class.

The Hitman

 

[dodgey]

Didi has been good at Anfield but Not too sure if you could call him World Class...

But he regularly gets a Gig in the National team so they must think SOMETHING of him at least

Originally posted by Karanicolas

Gerrard is good, but how many times has he scored (or got in the box and looked like scoring)?

We can't have everyone getting in the Box....

The way we lined up against the Vila, with Owen and Heskey upfront, Kewell and Diouff on the wings cutting in........ Someone's got to Sit back

 

[Weaver]

Hamann is a good defeensive midfielder, he wins the ball back and protects his back 4 very well. However, as others have said, he is pretty one dimensional and can't really contribute a great deal when coming forward. I'd say he was world-class within his little speciality, but not overall.

Liverpool can look terrible if Didi plays and Gerard decides he is going to stay deep. When Didi plays as the holding player and Gerard goes forward they can look OK.

 

[TheGreatCoranzo]

Of course he is world class, every Liverpool player is.

 

[tribey]

Cheers lads... interesting responses so far