Gunter Nezter recalls Kevin Keegan's Hamburg ups and downs that offered Newcastle United preview

He had a playboy image with long flowing blond locks and Ferrari at his door, football's equivalent of James Hunt if you like. Or perhaps a rock star, opinionated and brash.

However Gunter Netzer was so much more than an individualistic rebel who marched to his own tune. He had an original mind and turned round the fortunes of not only Hamburg upon taking over as general manager but Kevin Keegan.

The outcome was KK being voted European Footballer of the Year twice in succession as well as winning the German championship and reaching the European Cup final before coming home to Southampton and eventually Newcastle United.

Netzer gives a fascinating insight into Keegan when he was christened Little Mouse by Hamburg fans ahead of being crowned King Kev on Tyneside.

Having worked closely with Keegan both as a player and manager at Newcastle I recognise the early traits Netzer shares with us in his new autobiography "Wembley 1972 And Other Big Feats."

Indeed on the very first day of Netzer's appointment at Hamburg when he went to introduce himself to the players KK told him he was on his toes!

"I went over to greet Kevin first but he had no words of greeting for me," recalls Gunter. "He was shaking with rage. 'You might as well know,' he told me without any preliminaries, 'I am on my way.'

"He had been in wretched form but I knew he was a formidable player and letting him go was not the way I wanted to begin my time at HSV."

Ahh, the threats to go. A stunning player and extra special manager, Kev nevertheless could from time to time be accused of spitting out the dummy. He regularly 'quit' while building the Entertainers at Newcastle.

During those nervous early days with Hamburg players refused to pass the ball to him,