It seems that Spam Alardyce will get his way and complete the signing of midfielder, Dietmar Hamann.


Its an emotional old game, football. With all this talk of who we're going to buy this summer, little thought is given to who will have to step aside to let them in.

Every season we say goodbye to one or two players who have become a part of the family, and occasionally it feels like losing a brother.


I don't know what to think, but I suppose its one of those sad inevitabilities. Lets take Dietmar Hamman, one of the pillars of the club. I guess he's past his best, but like so many others, I wish he could stay with the club in the way Phil Thompson and Steve Heighway did - I hate watching Liverpool legends fade into obscurity at other clubs (Ian Rush at Leeds, Newcastle, Wrexham, for example).


Having said that, Robbie Fowler would tell you that such thinking is unrealistic romanticism. Just because someone can't cut it at one of the best clubs in the world, doesn't mean their career is over. Hopefully, Hamann will go on to a glittering career at Bolton taking them to 2nd place in the Prem - yeah well, I'm going off on one.


Hamann has put himself on the market after being told he can leave Liverpool after seven seasons at Anfield. He signed from Newcastle for £8 mill. in 1999 and averaged 30 games a season between 2000 and 2005. However, at 32 years of age, Hamann played only 17 times in 2005/6, only completing 7 games - the writing was on the wall.


Bolton have long been interested in Hamann and tried to sign him last summer, when Spam announced that he's always admired him. Dietmar, who's currently in his native Germany, where he's covering the World Cup for a German TV station has stated that he's happy to stay in England, as long as he can play Premiership football, so Bolton doesn't seem an unrealistic choice

"I want to have another chance for a two or three-year contract and I also want to play every week,"

said Hamann.


Goodbye, old friend and good luck for the future, with so many great memories, we'll miss you. Thanks for your service and hopefully you'll pop back to visit us once a year.


You can watch a cracking little Didi Hamann compilation on 'You Tube' by clicking here (02:17mins).