Just after Pierre-Michel Lasogga had moved to Leeds United last summer, Hamburg investor Klaus-Michael Kuhne took aim at the striker and fired.
Kuhne has grown tired over the years of pilling money into his beloved HSV and then seeing everything go wrong anyway. Whether it be for money to sign new players or for money to give existing ones new contracts, for a long time Hamburg have gone cap in hand the Kuhne, and by last summer he’d just about had enough.
Speaking to the German media, Kuhne said: “HSV is a phenomenon because the losers are always hanging out here. A good example is Lasogga.
“I don’t know if I was part of it: After half a good season, given a five year contract and an annual salary of over three million euros. That was Harakiri, the flop of the century.”
The footballer’s mother, who is also his agent, wasn’t having that and Kerstin Lasogga answered back: “I am a bit surprised at these statements, but he doesn’t have any idea about football. The investor constantly criticises the coach, manager and individual players – and without any knowledge of the situation.”
Kuhne’s comments stuck and now when there’s a German article about the on loan Leeds United player, the ‘flop of the century’ tag is often wheeled out.
Lasogga himself has been able to have his own say, and has told SportBild: “Of course I was disappointed that I heard such things from my own club.
“It’s also about respect, but I didn’t make the move to Leeds because I had to prove something to critics. I took the step for myself: Because I wanted to show myself that I score goals if I get the opportunity.”
Hamburg are once again in a relegation battle, at the end of the winter transfer window they tried to sign Aleksandar Mitrović to help with their striking problems.
The Newcastle owned player, currently on loan at Fulham, surely isn’t so much better than Lasogga, if better at all, and perhaps the treatment of the Leeds striker has been a little rash.
