So, can we call you Dietmar or ‘Didi’?
Didi is probably best, yeah.
Great. Didi, you’re familiar to people in Ireland most recently from your work in RTE. What’s it like working with Eamonn, Bill and the boys? It’s a bit different to the BBC.
Yeah, it is. But I really enjoy working there because all the pundits just say it how it is. I really enjoyed it, the people there don’t hold back and I think they’re saying what the punters want to hear because they’re saying it how it is.
As I said, I really enjoyed working there and hopefully I’ll be coming back in the summer.
We’re looking forward to that already. What do you think Germany’s chances are in the Euros?
They’ve got a good chance, they cruised through their qualification group – I think they won all eight games – so you would think they have a very very good chance.
Spain are the ones to beat, but then again, Barcelona who have got the core of their team are struggling at the moment. But I think it’s a wide open Euros this year and any of six or seven teams could win it.
It’s a terrible cliche that you never write off the Germans, but why are Germany so consistent? They always seem to be there or thereabouts.
I just think they probably believe they can do it – the further they go in a tournament, the more they fancy their chances. I think it’s more psychological than anything.
There are always teams as good as Germany, but the mental attitude, the mental strength might be what differentiates them from other teams. The further they go the harder they are to beat and they always have the belief to go and win a tournament.
Have you had the pleasure of watching Ireland’s qualification?
Yes, I did watch them and I’m well pleased for them. After what happened in France I think they well deserved it.
It’s great to see them in the Euros this year. I think, although they’ve got a very tough group, they can do well and go a long way.
Trap has built a team there and the team spirit is very important. If you look at other teams with big egos, big characters. Ireland have that aswell, but they play as a team and I think he’s formed something special there: to come back after what happened two years ago is a fantastic achievement.
I wouldn’t be at all surprised if they do qualify for the second round.
You spent a few years under Trapattoni at Bayern Munich, what was he like to play for?
He was great. I mentioned in the book that he did help me a great deal because he worked with the young players. No effort was too much for him and he spent countless hours on the training pitch with us. He had a major influence on the players there at the time, me included.
In Ireland he takes a lot of flak for overlooking certain creative players, James McClean is the latest, what’s your view on it?
It’s a tough question and I’ve been asked it before. Obviously he has to make his mind up and he has to trust his judgment because he’s been in situations like this.
The main strength, what’s got Ireland to the Euros is their team spirit and if he feels that bringing a new player in will halve that or take something off it then I don’t think he will bring somebody else in.
At the same time if somebody gets injured before the summer or he needs to bring somebody new in; there’s a few players knocking on the door like Wes Hoolahan, James McClean and also Stephen Ireland.
But if Trap feels he wants to go to the Euros with the squad who qualified – because they all deserve a place – you’ve got to trust his judgement. I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t call any of the other players up.
You’re other coach at Bayern was Otto Rehhagel. And in your book you quote his motto as ‘anger and hate are bad advisors’. Have you picked up any other great pearls of wisdom in your career?
No, that’s about it. I think it’s very important in any profession, especially in football, to keep your composure and try to keep calm. I think it’s very important not to lose your temper.
One thing I’ve been taught over the years is that if you’re not in control of yourself then you can’t be in control of the opposition. Trap always taught us that aswell and it’s very important for a young player coming through.
Who is the best coach you’ve played under?
It’s tough, I had the managers or coaches at different stages in my career. Trap was very very important for my development becuase I had him when I was 19, 20.
Gerard Houllier was important and so was Rafa (Benitez). I’ve been fortunate to work for some fantastic managers. Therefore it’s very hard to say which one taught me the most or was the best one. They are all special in their own way.
And who is the best player you’ve played with?
It’s over a 15 year period. Lothar Mathaus has got to be one of them, obviously he was coming to the end of his career when I played with him. Steven Gerrard is another one who’s done tremendous things for club and country.
Then again, I played with Sami Hyypia for seven years, he was another terrific player. As was Thomas Hasler for Germany. It’s very hard to pick, obviously, different players in different positions at different times. I was very lucky to play with a lot of great footballers.
You’ve spoken about your gambling problem in the book. Depression in sport is a hot topic these days, but would it be fair to say you confronted the problem before it really took hold?
Yeah, that’s fair comment. It was also a difficult time because my wife had just moved back to Germany. It was hard to deal with because I was used to being with the kids every day 24/7, then all of a sudden not to be with them, it was hard to deal with for me.
I think the main thing is that you learn from your mistakes and you come back stronger than ever. I think that’s what I’ve done.
A lot of people think of your goal at Wembley (the last before the Stadium was redeveloped) but what is your favourite goal?
Yeah my favourite and I think the best one is the one against Portsmouth at home. It was goal of the season that year, I think it was about 2001/2.
A volley from the edge of the box, Michael Owen pulled the ball back and I hit it on the volley.
YouTube credit: atyabamn
The other word that always springs to mind with you, Didi, is ‘Istanbul’. What was it like sitting on the bench and watching Milan go 3-0 up in the first half?
Obviously it wasn’t nice to watch. It’s a very important game and to sit there and be 3-0 down was hard to take. Milan were fantastic in the first half and there wasn’t too much we could have done. I think all the goals were well-worked, fantastic goals.
It wasn’t easy to sit there and watch, but that’s part of the game.
Were you a touch fortunate that Steve Finnan got injured and allowed you come into the game so early?
Well Djimi Traore was about to come off, we were going to make the change anyhow. I was hoping we could come back, I don’t want to say ‘I believed we could come back’ but we tried.
We tried our best and fortunately it worked out the way it did.
The current Liverpool set-up is a little bit away from those glory days, is it disappointing for you looking back at the club and seeing them struggle?
It is disappointing, but then again it’s a period now when they just need to regroup and try to bring the players in who will bring it forward. They’ve brought a few in, but they’ll have to wait until the end of the season and just hope they can make it into that fourth place because it’s so important to get into the Champions League these days.
If you were made the Liverpool coach tomorrow, what would be the first thing you would do?
I don’t think I would change anything in the middle of the season. the players are there now and there is not too much you can do. You have to stick with a plan and trust, try to get the best out of them.
You have to wait and see what happens in the summer, give them a bit more time and hopefully they can turn it round.
You’re obviously settled in England a long time now, what do you miss most about Germany?
I’m here a long time and I like living here. I can’t really say I miss Germany, but I always like going back there when I have a chance.
No, if I recommend one chapter then I’d be selling another chapter short. It’s very readable and exciting. It’s a mix of funny stories from the past 15 years of a football career and I hope everyone has a good time reading.
We certainly will Didi, thanks for your time.
