HYYPIA AGREES NEW CONTRACT
Jimmy Rice 05 April 2008
Sami Hyypia has today agreed a deal to stay at Anfield until the summer of 2009.
The 34-year-old, whose contract was due to expire at the end of the season, is now set to join a select band of players to stay at the club for a decade.
Hyypia told Liverpoolfc.tv: "I am very happy to have agreed a new deal. This is a great club with fantastic supporters, so I'm delighted."
The former skipper has so far made 440 appearances since arriving on Merseyside from Willem II back in 1999.
Boss Rafa Benitez expects that number to keep rising next season and claims Hyypia is the best possible role model for young defenders such as Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger.
"This is great news for the club," said the Spaniard.
"Sami has a lot to offer. He is a fantastic professional who is an example to all young footballers. He understands the game and is clever. All these things mean he can help other players.
"He has shown this year how important he is to us on the pitch and he can continue to do that next season."
Signed by Gerard Houllier for a bargain £2.5million, Hyypia was a key part of the 2001 treble-winning side after forming a rock-solid partnership with Stephane Henchoz.
He was one of the stand-out performers on the road to Champions League glory in Istanbul, scoring a cool volley which proved crucial in the quarter-final defeat of Juventus.
Incredibly, the centre-back played every minute of 57 consecutive European games for the Reds from November 2001 to February 2006.
History will undoubtedly judge Hyypia to be one of the club's shrewdest pieces of business. His collection of winner's medals is now in double figures and in 2006 fans voted him 38th in Liverpoolfc.tv's 100 Players Who Shook The Kop series.
He is also a legend in his homeland having amassed 90 caps and won Finnish Player of the Year six times.
http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drill...80405-1153.htm
Jimmy Rice 05 April 2008
Sami Hyypia has today agreed a deal to stay at Anfield until the summer of 2009.
The 34-year-old, whose contract was due to expire at the end of the season, is now set to join a select band of players to stay at the club for a decade.
Hyypia told Liverpoolfc.tv: "I am very happy to have agreed a new deal. This is a great club with fantastic supporters, so I'm delighted."
The former skipper has so far made 440 appearances since arriving on Merseyside from Willem II back in 1999.
Boss Rafa Benitez expects that number to keep rising next season and claims Hyypia is the best possible role model for young defenders such as Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger.
"This is great news for the club," said the Spaniard.
"Sami has a lot to offer. He is a fantastic professional who is an example to all young footballers. He understands the game and is clever. All these things mean he can help other players.
"He has shown this year how important he is to us on the pitch and he can continue to do that next season."
Signed by Gerard Houllier for a bargain £2.5million, Hyypia was a key part of the 2001 treble-winning side after forming a rock-solid partnership with Stephane Henchoz.
He was one of the stand-out performers on the road to Champions League glory in Istanbul, scoring a cool volley which proved crucial in the quarter-final defeat of Juventus.
Incredibly, the centre-back played every minute of 57 consecutive European games for the Reds from November 2001 to February 2006.
History will undoubtedly judge Hyypia to be one of the club's shrewdest pieces of business. His collection of winner's medals is now in double figures and in 2006 fans voted him 38th in Liverpoolfc.tv's 100 Players Who Shook The Kop series.
He is also a legend in his homeland having amassed 90 caps and won Finnish Player of the Year six times.
http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drill...80405-1153.htm
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