Sami Hyypiä (Defender)
Date
of birth: 7/10/73
Squad number: 12
Height: 6'3" (1.92m)
Weight: 13st 5lb (85kg)
Characteristics: A tower of strength at centre half, and dominate in the air.
Former clubs: Pallo-Peikot, KuMu, MyPa Anjalankoski, Willem II.
Birth Place: Porvoo
Having scouted around the
continent for months searching for a commanding
central defender, Gérard Houllier made the first step to
shoring up his defence with the capture of Finnish international Sami
Hyypiä.
He really began his career seven
years previously with little known club MyPa
Anjalankoski where he played 96 matches and even helped them
lift the Finnish Cup in 1992. He made his international debut that same year against Tunisia and his consistent form attracted the
attentions of Dutch outfit Willem II who
signed him in 1995.
The 1998/99 season was his most
successful in Holland as he captained his
club to a place in the Champions League for the following season.
However, the lure of Liverpool
was too big to turn down, and he happily swapped
his Champions League place for the chance to become the dominant defender the Liverpool fans had been desperate for.
Hyypiä was first spotted by
chief scouts Ron Yeats, who was impressed with
his performance in a friendly game for Finland against Germany when he kept
German striker Olivier Bierhoff quiet throughout. Yeats recommended Hyypiä to the Liverpool management team who, after
checking him out themselves, were convinced that they had found the man to give them extra solidity at the back.
Performances in pre-season were more than encouraging as he struck up a promising central defensive partnership with Jamie Carragher. Dominant in the air and good on the ball, Hyypiä soon proved to be a quality addition to the Liverpool squad, subsequently forming an impressive partnership with fellow new signing Stephane Henchoz.
Hyypia pics:
pics donated by John Booth