Thursday, May 07, 2009

How Sami Hyypia Landed at Liverpool!



07.05.09 | tribalfootball.com

Former Liverpool boss Phil Thompson has revealed how he and ex-manager Gerard Houllier were able to first bring Sami Hyypia to the club.

In a tribute to the Finn, who is leaving for Bayer Leverkusen at the end of the season, Thommo wrote in a column for liverpoolfc.tv: "I remember going to watch him for the first time. Peter Robinson had got a tape off some random guy and passed it on to me. I have to admit I'm not a fan of analysing a player from video.

"If you look at me for example, I scored 13 goals for Liverpool. I could have made out to someone in Brazil that I was a top class striker on video! All I had to do was put together a montage of those goals; you see how easy it could be to fool people!

"So, when it comes down to it, you have to go and see them with your own two eyes. Ron Yeats went to see him first of all and was very impressed. I followed that up and saw him play in Nuremburg for Finland against Germany. He was up against a guy called Oliver Bierhoff who was a fantastic centre forward.

"His major asset was that he was superb in the air; so for me, the key was to see how Sami handled him. I have to admit he was outstanding. He didn't give him a header all night long and that was particularly important to me because that's what we lacked in the side at the time.

"Gerard had wanted a centre back and we got one with experience in the shape of Stephane Henchoz from Blackburn Rovers. Sami hadn't played in the Premiership but after seeing him in action we decided we wanted him too.

"I remember seeing him in our first pre-season training session. I thought to myself, 'This guy's six foot four and he's got the passing range of Jan Molby!'"


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