'Alonso - what a career and what a nice lad'
Dietmar Hamann has added his voice to the chorus of glowing tributes which have marked the announcement of Xabi Alonso's retirement.
The former Liverpool midfielder confirmed on Thursday morning that his trophy-laden playing career will reach its conclusion at the end of this season.
Hamann was part of the Reds squad when Alonso arrived from Spain in the summer of 2004 and, having been impressed by his ability from the off, revealed his lasting appreciation for the 35-year-old.
“He came to Liverpool at a very young age from Sociedad,” he says in the new episode of ‘LFC Later’, which premieres at 10pm GMT tonight.
“People knew about him, but I think he made an impression in the first few weeks. People were not surprised, but really impressed by how good he was.
“His passing was second-to-none, like a laser; his all-round game was just brilliant, because he has never been the quickest.
“The way he played for Liverpool, then for Madrid and Bayern Munich – what a career. What a nice lad as well.”
Hamann is joined on the show by DJ Spoony and lifts the lid on a few of the more interesting episodes in his own memorable Liverpool career.
Elsewhere, Lucas Leiva and Alberto Moreno’s maiden effort at match commentary is rated by a couple of experts – namely Alan Green and Martin Tyler.
Plus, Jürgen Klopp talks films and, specifically, which Hollywood star would play the Reds manager in a movie of his life.
Tune in to official club channel LFCTV at 10pm tonight to watch ‘LFC Later’, which will also be available on demand on LFCTV GO.
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