PAST PLAYER PROFILE - Dietmar Hamann

Dietmar Hamann : Midfield (1999-2006)
Date of Birth: 27/8/1973
Birthplace: Waldasson, Bavaria
Debut : V Sheffield Wednesday, 7th August 1999. Won 2-1
1st team games: 283
1st team goals: 11
Other clubs: FC Wacker Munchen, Bayern Munchen, Newcastle United.
Honours won with Liverpool: Worthington Cup 2001, FA Cup 2001, UEFA Cup 2001, FA Charity Shield 2001. UEFA Super Cup 2001, Carling Cup 2003, UEFA Champions League 2005, FA Cup 2006


PROFILE

Mr dependable, popular German star Dietmar Hamann left Liverpool in July 2006 to sign for Manchester City bringing to an end seven glorious years at Anfield.

One of the best holding midfield players in Europe, Didi played a major part in the Champions League win over AC Milan when he entered the field as a second half substitute and inspired the team to come back from 3-0 down, when he marked Kaka and enabled Steven Gerrard and company to get the Reds back into the match.
He also came on as a substitute in the FA Cup win over West Ham in 2006 and more than played his part in another trophy win for the Reds.

Didi was signed by Gerard Houllier from Newcastle United for £8 million in 1999 and quickly became a fans favourite and a vital member of the Liverpool team.

Hamann was the holding player in midfield who breaks up attacks and is also a good passer of the ball.

After starting his career at the little known Wacker Munich, where his father was coach, Didi joined their more illustrious city rivals Bayern as a 16-year old in 1989. He made his first team debut two years later and in nine years with the Bavarian giants won two Bundesliga titles, the German Cup and UEFA Cup.

After playing for his country in the 1998 World Cup he joined Newcastle, managed at the time by Kenny Dalglish, for 5.5 million.

Following his spell at St James' Park, Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund and Arsenal all declared an interest but in July 1999 he opted to join Gerard Houllier's Liverpool revolution.

The 2000/2001 season saw Hamann prove himself as a man for the big occasion, excelling as the club won a much-celebrated cup treble and a place in the Champions League.

Hamann since became the first Liverpool player since Roger Hunt in 1966 to play in a World Cup Final, but finished on the losing side as Brazil won the 2002 World Cup 2-0. Despite the defeat he was widely regarded as one of Germany's best players during the tournament.

Didi wrote himself into the record books when he became the last man to score at Wembley Stadium, his long range free-kick helping Germany to a 1-0 World Cup qualifying win over England in October 2000.

PAST PLAYER PROFILE - Djimi Traore

Djimi Traore: Defender. 1999-2006

Date of birth: 1/3/1980
1st team games: 141
1st team goals: 1
Birthplace: Laval
Honours with Liverpool: Worthington Cup 2003, Champions League 2005, FA Cup 2006.




PROFILE

Djimi Traore left Liverpool just before the start of the 2006/2007 season to begin a new career at Charlton Athletic.

The Mali international will be remembered as one of the heroes of Istanbul and he made a goal-line clearance in the Champions League final against AC Milan.
Traore was signed by Gerard Houllier from Laval in France in 1999. After establishing himself at centre half during the 2002/03 season when he deputised for the injured Stephane Henchoz, Traore then fell out of favour with Gerard Houllier in 2003/04 and spent most of the time in the reserve team.

He was set for a move to Everton just before the start of the 2004/2005 season but new manager Rafael Benitez blocked the transfer and he ended up with a Champions League winners medal. Traore had an excellent Champions League campaign for Liverpool and his sliding last ditch tackles won him admirers during that campaign.

The highly rated Traore was one of the most sought after youngsters in Europe when Houllier paid Laval £500,000 for him in February 1999 as the manager claimed AC Milan, Paris St Germain and Lazio were just a number of top clubs who courted Traore's signature. Houllier had described the player as having great potential and a big player for the future.

PAST PLAYER PROFILE - Jan Kromkamp

Jan Kromkamp : Defender
Date of Birth: 17-08-1980
Birthplace: Makkinga, Holland
Debut : v Luton Town, January 7th 2006. FA Cup 3rd round. Won 5-3
1st team games: 18
1st team goals: 0
Other clubs: Go Ahead Eagles, AZ67 Alkmaar, Villarreal.
International caps while with Liverpool: -
International goals while with Liverpool: -
Honours with Liverpool: FA Cup 2006.

PROFILE

Dutch international right back Jan Kromkamp won an FA Cup winners medal during his short spell with Liverpool in 2006.

Kromkamp was Rafael Benitez's first signing of 2006 when he arrived at Anfield during the transfer window in a swop deal that saw Spaniard Josemi move to Villarreal.

He made his Liverpool debut as a substitute in the epic FA Cup 5-3 win over Luton in January 2006 and went on to pick up an FA Cup winners medal in his first season at Anfield. He played his part in the final when he came on as a substitute and brought some fresh energy to the team on the right side of midfield.

Born in Makkinga, Holland, he started his professional career as a midfielder with Go Ahead Eagles in 1998, for whom he scored five goals in 61 appearances before joining AZ67 Alkmaar.

His spell in La Liga with Villarreal was brief. After joining them during the summer of 2005 he found it hard to settle and made just a handful of appearances before Liverpool swooped.

Kromkamp was sold by Benitez to PSV Eindhoven in September 2006.

PAST PLAYER PROFILE - Stephen Warnock

Date of Birth: 12-12-1981
Birthplace: Ormskirk.
Debut : -
1st team games: 67
1st team goals: 1
Other clubs: Bradford City loan, Coventry City loan.
International caps while with Liverpool: -
International goals while with Liverpool: -
Honours with Liverpool: Super Cup 2005

PROFILE

Stephen Warnock was a solid and reliable performer at left back who never let anyone down when called upon for first team duty.

He came through the Academy and bounced back from two broken legs to achieve his dream of breaking into the Liverpool first team.

Despite earning rave reports in the reserve team, Warnock was never given a fair chance under Gerard Houllier and had two season long loan spells with Bradford City and Coventry City. Indeed during his spell at Coventry he was named the supporters Player of the Season.

It was the summer of 2004 when Warnock, who was pondering his Liverpool future, had a new lease of life at Anfield under Rafael Benitez. The player was included for the pre-season tour of the USA and Canada and played in all three of the matches.

Warnock then made his Liverpool debut as an 80th minute substitute for Steven Gerrard during the Champions League qualifier in Graz. He then started in Olympiacos but his most memorable game was away in Bayer Leverkusen on the road to Istanbul. He had a storming game which was epitomised in stoppage time when he made a superb tackle in stoppage time to stop the Germans scoring.

Despite being a regular in the squad for the majority of the 2004/2005 season he then suffered major disappointment when he wasn't included in the party for the Champions League final against AC Milan.

In the following season 2005/2006 Warnock was an unused substitute in the Super Cup final when Liverpool beat CSKA Moscow 3-1 in Monaco, but was again left out of the squad for the 2006 FA Cup final in Cardiff.

Unfortunately a series of niggling injuries restricted Warnock's progress at Anfield and he left to join Blackburn Rovers in January 2007.