10 February 2024 , 08:00
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Former Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann has not made it his mission to keep too many friends during his post-playing career.
Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel are just two figures to have taken umbrage with the ex-Germany international's comments and understandably so. Hamann recently labelled some of Tuchel's comments a 'disgrace'.
The 50-year-old pundit has criticised the Bayern Munich boss on multiple occasions this term and took issue with Tuchel's comments on potentially managing in Spain in the future. The former Chelsea head coach acknowledged that 'moving abroad would appeal', much to Hamann's chagrin.
"He sits down and talks about Xavi, about the successor and that he would like to train in Barcelona or Spain," Hamann told Sky Germany, as reported by Bild. "That's a disgrace!"
"He (Tuchel) is a very intelligent man, something like that doesn't just slip out of his mouth. Only he has to know one thing: If you are an employee of Bayern, taking on the management - that is rarely a good idea.
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"When I look at the last three home games, it's subpar by Bayern Munich's standards. Against three teams that are at the bottom, that's simply not enough."
Hamann has since retracted his comments and apologised but Tuchel proved in no mood to accept. The 50-year-old didn't care for his countryman's apology and labelled it 'irrelevant'.
Tuchel told Sport1: “The things that happened were completely taken out of context and said deliberately. Statements were deliberately made that were not true.
Former Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann (EMPICS Sport)"I was at a fan meeting and we were all shocked at what he (Hamann) made of it. That's why I don't care if he apologised. I don't buy it and that's why it's irrelevant."
It is not the first time that Hamann has provoked the ire of a German coach. The 50-year-old former Newcastle and Bayern Munich ace criticised Liverpool assistant Pep Lijnders for releasing his book, Intensity: Inside Liverpool FC, while working with Klopp.
Writing on X, Hamann suggested it was a moment that should have rang alarm bells. He said: "The only question is whether the club benefited from it and the simple answer is no. His job is not to educate other coaches while he’s getting paid by Liverpool."
Klopp did not take to those comments kindly. When Hamman was referenced in a press conference question, Liverpool's boss left little to interpretation.
He said: "Oh great, he’s a fantastic source, well respected everywhere. That (playing for Liverpool) doesn’t give you the right to say what you want especially when you have no idea.
"I actually think Didi Hamann doesn’t deserve that you use his phrase to ask me a question. Do me a favour and ask your own question. Try to ask a question without the word spark, that’s the challenge now."