Copy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletterUntil recent years, British players have generally been reluctant to ply their trade abroad compared with their continental colleagues.So you can imagine what a big risk it was for Kevin Keegan to have made that move back in 1977.The midfielder was Liverpool's star player and was just about to help the club to win their first-ever European Cup when the deal was struck to take him to Hamburg - so why leave, and why HSV?Pick the ultimate 4-4-2 line-up from players in FourFourTwo's definitive Top 100 List"I dont like sausages unfortunately, I couldnt get away from them in Germany!"Keegan told FourFourTwo in 2007: "Id dispute that I could have moved to any club in the world."In 1977 there were no English players abroad and they werent perceived as a good investment. Only [Welsh Juventus legend] John Charles had done really well. You may like Kevin Keegan: how Liverpool, Hamburg, Southampton and Newcastle fell Head Over Heels In Love with King Kev He was the cleverest player ever - he could be a soldier and he could be a general. He had no ego Kevin Keegan on the best he ever played with and against Why did Kevin Keegan scrap the Newcastle United reserve team in the mid 90s? One of the great man's most controversial moments revisited "Hamburg was the only offer I got, and thats where I went."They phoned me up, I said I wanted to leave Liverpool - I felt I was stagnating there, even though I loved the club, the fans and the players.Get FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over."I needed a change; Im not the type of character who stays at one club for all his life."Hamburg offered me four times the salary that I was on, which was incredible. So financially it was right, and my wife spoke German, which was a great start."I just thought, Thats the type of challenge that I want to try." What to read next Kevin Keegan 1951-2026 I have no regrets about turning down Liverpool and Manchester United. I needed that Bolton experience in my life Youri Djorkaeff on his 2002 Bolton move Scottish football club sporting director has had arguably the maddest career in history Keegan won back-to-back Ballons d'Or while at Hamburg - he remains the only Englishman ever to win more than one - as well as helping the side to a Bundesliga title and a European Cup final.There was one downside to the move, though..."I dont like sausages unfortunately, I couldnt get away from them in Germany!", Keegan said."I loved the cakes over there though, to my coachs disdain."There was a fantastic patisserie next to the training ground...but Ive never been a sausage fan."This interview first appeared in the April 2007 edition of FourFourTwo magazineTOPICSKevin KeeganNewcastle UnitedLiverpoolHamburger SVHamburgSteven ChickenSocial Links NavigationSteven Chicken has been working as a football writer since 2009, taking in stints with Football365 and the Huddersfield Examiner. Steven still covers Huddersfield Town home and away for his own publication,WeAreTerriers.com. Steven is a two-time nominee for Regional Journalist of the Year at the prestigious British Sports Journalism Awards, making the shortlist in 2020 and 2023.With contributions fromNick Moore
