Did Hamann likes a controversial statement, but the thing with the German is that he isn’t trying to stir up trouble, he’s just being honest!
Even so, before a Merseyside Derby, we’d hope our ex-players were firmly backing Liverpool’s players and management instead of Everton’s – but we don’t suppose it does too much damage in the big scheme of things.
Hamann has claimed that he’d prefer to work with Ronald Koeman than Jurgen Klopp, because he would potentially clash with our manager’s intense personality!
(Never change, Jurgen… Everyone else loves you…)
“I’ve got to say I like both managers, but you probably couldn’t have two more different characters than them two,” our ex-midfielder told the Echo.
“Klopp is very outgoing, very enthusiastic and very passionate about things, while Ronald Koeman is Mr Cool.
“My personality is probably more in sync with the Everton manager’s than Jurgen’s.
“I never really liked managers who shouted a lot or who were on the go all the time on the touch line.
“Without knowing how they work with the team and how they address players in the dressing room – purely from a personality point of view – I’d probably sway towards Koeman as the manager I would have preferred to play for.
“Koeman’s a top guy, he’s well respected and speaks well. He had a bit of a rough time when he first came here as things weren’t going too well, but the Everton boss kept his calm.
“This is one of the biggest Merseyside derbies in a long time,” he added.
“That’s because, when you go back the last five, 10 years, how often was it coming towards the end of the season that both Liverpool and Everton had something to play for?
“Everton haven’t finished above Liverpool an awful lot in the last 20 years – just three times in the Premier League’s history.
“They’ve got a serious chance to do it this year and if they reduce the gap this weekend it’s all to play for.”
Hamann’s right in speaking up the importance of this fixture.
We’re without Adam Lallana and captain Jordan Henderson, and if our rivals beat us, they’ll go just three points behind with eight games to play.
Everton are without Seamus Coleman, Ramiro Funes Mori, Yannick Bolasie and Morgan Schneiderlin, so won’t be at full-strength either…
It’s imperative we get a good result with Arsenal and Manchester United also breathing down our neck in the race for the top four.