27 Mar 2008

Sami Hyypia embodies everything that is great about Liverpool FC, so give him a new contract NOW!

Liverpool legend Sami Hyypia is (hopefully) set to sign a new contract at Anfield, and when he does, it will be a hugely satisfying moment in an otherwise torrid season.

On the subject of Sami’s possible new contract, Rafa Benitez commented: "Rick Parry is due to talk to Sami's agent this weekend and hopefullly everything will then be finished."

Earlier this year, Hyypia said: "It would be very nice to get to ten years at the club but I'm just concentrating on playing well. Whether I stay wouldn't depend on how many games I play. I'm not like that. I'm not interested in somebody promising me something. If we have four centre-backs then everyone fights for their place and performances should determine who plays”.

Such a refreshing attitude! In my view, Sami is the current player at Liverpool who is deserving of the title 'Liverpool Legend'. He is a bona fide world class defender and he embodies everything that makes Liverpool great.

Quite apart from being one of the greatest defenders ever to grace the Anfield turf, the big Finn oozes real class and is completely unaffected by the egocentric excesses of the modern game.

Sami has arguably been Liverpool’s most consistent player over the last 10 years and an outstanding ambassador for the club, with his superb ability being an integral component in making Liverpool the most successful English club of the noughties.

This does not stop people jumping on his back at regular intervals complaining that he has ‘lost his pace’ and other such nonsense. This is simply not true – Sami never had any real pace to begin with!

His game is not based on pace - it was and is based on intelligence and unparalleled positional excellence. Sami continues to perform admirably when called upon, and a fair analysis of Liverpool’s performances so far this season will back this up.

Sami's imperious ability on the pitch is not the only reason he should stay - he symbolises Liverpool values of old such as humblesness, humility, grace and modesty in victory and an unshakeable winning mentality.

He brings maturity and wisdom to the team and is the perfect countrerbalance to the preening, overpaid, primadonnas ruining the modern game.

If anyone in the current team deserves a testimonial, it is Sami, and I personally hope he stays at the club until he retires and then takes up a role on the coaching staff somewhere.

Tragically though, Sami is part of a dying breed – the true footballing gentlemen: affable, unassuming, approachable, friendly and the consummate professional. He is and has been my favourite Liverpool player for years and it will be a sad day indeed when he finally leaves the club.


4 comments:

  1. no doubt,hyypia is among the club legend. I love seeing him playing with Henchoz...

    ReplyDelete
  2. I agree, Henry.

    The Henchoz/Hyypia partnership was fantastic and was the basis of Liverpool having the best defensive record in the league at one stage. It's a shame Houllier treated Henchoz so shabbily near the end of his tenure.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ah, this article warmed my heart Jaimie. Have you guys noticed, I felt that our back fours were more calm and astute against the opponents whenever Hyypia played. I hate to say this but errors from the last match would not have surfaced if Hyypia plays. There was no marking on the scorers.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I completely agree, Jonathan.

    When it comes to Aerial ability, Sami is in a class of his own. He is so dominant in the air that anything knocked into the box usually has his name on it. If Sami was playing against Man U, then Wes Brown and Ronaldo would have got nowhere near those two headed goals.

    If Sami is to be replaced, then someone equally as imperious in the air needs to be brought in. Any combination of Skrtl/Agger and Carragher doesn't cut it when it comes to Aerial domination, as proved (in part) against Man U.

    Agger, Skrtl and Carragher are all very similar players; Scrappers; last ditch tacklers. They are similar to Mark Lawrenson in that respect.

    Hyppia is more elegant and composed and is very similar to Alan Hansen in that regard, which is why he forms good partnerships with scrappers like Stephane Henchoz and Carragher.

    I just hope he stays. The club will lose something more important than football if he leaves.

    ReplyDelete