21 Apr 2012

Hamann: £11m star with 24 goals/assists will *fail* in the Premier League. Agree?

German International Lukas Podolski seems set to join Arsenal this summer, and on the surface, it looks like a great piece of business from Arsene Wenger. Liverpool legend Dietmar Hamann is not so sure though, and warns that Podolski will probably find it difficult to find his best form in the Premier League.

According to the BBC, Podolski has signed for Arsenal in a £10.9m deal worth £100k a week. £10.9m for a proven international-class striker in the prime of his career who has done the business at the World and European tournaments? It sounds like an incredible bargain, but former German International Hamann doesn't agree. He told TalkSport:

"He [Podolski went to Bayern Munich a few years ago but he couldn’t really make a breakthrough there, and obviously he’s back in his home town of Köln where he is loved, where he’s their main player and he blossoms.

"He’s scored a lot of goals this year but again, the one time he played for a big club, at Bayern, he didn’t really cut it".


Podolski has also scored lots of goals for the German National team, but Hamann believes that 'all of his best form is for Germany', and he might not be able to reproduce that in the Premier League.

Hamann's view seems to match that of Bayern Munich Chief Uli Hoeness, who recently delivered a withering assessment of Podoslki's ability to make it abroad. Speaking to Liga Total, Hoeness argued:

"He's not a player for abroad; Lukas is a player who must have the coach behind him, one who needs an arm around the shoulder at times.I cannot imagine Lukas in Manchester, Liverpool or at a Spanish club, he only knows Germany".

This sounds like bad news for Arsenal, but if anyone can get the best out of Podolski in a different league then it's probably Arsene Wenger.

Hoeness' view may have been right once upon a time, but who's to say that things are the same now? Players mature and evolve over time, and perhaps Podolski is now mentally ready to move outside of his comfort zone?

His statistics for FC Koln this season are certainly impressive: 18 goals and 6 assists in 28 games, and if he can take that form into the Premier League, then Arsenal will have one hell of a player on their hands.

Jaimie Kanwar


16 comments:

  1. great player would have loved for him to have signed for liverpool but hes not british or talentless and isn't going to cost us a fortune so doesn't tick any of our purchase criteria
     

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  2. a player i've always liked the look of.
    i think most lfc fans would have taken him for that fee in january.
    this is the same didi hamann who a few weeks ago said lfc should consider signing di santo from wigan.

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  3. Theres a lot better players than Podolski Liverpool could look at and i would say Hamann has a point.

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  4. I love all his qualities, but I not sure how much of an impact he'll make. It's all what you are expecting from him. If you want a 20 goal striker then you not going to get him. if you want someone who will score 12 goals a season and will throw in some assits then he's the perfect player. He'll be a nice fit for Arsenal I think, but they don't necessarily need him.

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  5. Trutherts...AKA, I wish I supported LIVERPOOL !!!.

    Either that or your a bitter, bitter person.
    Why on earth would you spend some much time commenting about other teams ?.
    There's no point holding on to such hatred, you need to move on with your life, I know its hard but not everyone gets what they desire in life, LFC supporters are just blessed.
    MOVE ON FFS.

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  6. what the hell u on about i support liverpool u moron have u seen the way that the new signings have perfrormed this season open ur eyes 

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  7. GO AWAY JAMIE

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  8. Theycallmemrburt6:16 pm, April 21, 2012

    Well considering Hamann's Jedi mind trick in calling Henderson and Di Santos 'fantastic' players, Podolski will no doubt be a raging success.  I give Podolski a Theycallmemrburt rating of two thumbs up.

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  9. good player and at 10Million must be worth a pop

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  10. Podolski's last 2 good seasons have been good...but prior to this he had a somewhat dry spell dating back to the end of the 05/06 season...

    Some stats FYI:

    2011/2012
    Played 28 Scored 17 Assited 9
    How he scored the 17: 11 Left foot, 1 header,3 penalties, 1 free kick, 1 long distance kick.

    2010/2011
    Played 32 Scored 13 Assited 8
    How he scored the 13: 1 Right foot, 8 left foot, 1 header, 2 penalties, 1 free kick.

    2009/2010
    Played 27 Scored 2 Assisted 4
    How he scored the 2: 1 Left foot, 1 Long distance Kick.

    Playing for FC Cologne he may not get as many chances to score as other top strikers, I would like to see his shooting accuracy stats and how they compare to the top strikers of the EPL: Augero, Rooney, RVP, Demba Ba, Adebayour.

    His assists however make up for his lack of 20+ goals a season. I would like to see him play for Liverpool as he has the ability to link up well with Suarez and finish the many gilt-edged chances that have been missed.

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  11. What did he use to score the freekicks and penalties? His tounge!

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  12. Worth the gamble at £10m. I reckon Wenger is the ideal patient manager for him as well as the 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 formation would suit him.

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  13. not worth the 100k a week. We have capable youngsters to step in for a fraction of that. 

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  14. i hear you man. absolutely right

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  15. Surely he's not worth 3 Andy Carroll's?

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  16. Think he will be a good signing and will do a good job for them. And he has exactly the right manager to get the best out of him.

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