Big Carra on Sami

[LeTallecWiz]

Can't really disagree ...

"Everyone talks about foreign players like Zola, Henry and Bergkamp but they never look at Sami.
"In terms of consistency he's well up there with them, there's no doubt about it. Maybe he can do something out of the blue every now and again but every week, for nine months of the season, Sami Hyypia is your man.
"He's definitely one of the best foreign players this country has ever seen."
Jamie Carragher on Sami Hyypia

 

[Dreambeliever]

Only hampered by the fact defenders don’t usually get praise like that unless they are in title winning sides.

 

[binomial]

Don't hear about Zola that much tbh...hear more about Drogba, the other 2 yeah....they were part of the invincible and they're still part of the game so naturally you're gonna be talked about and remembered more if you're appearing on British TV well after retirement, not sure if Sami is still involved in football in any capacity but for sure he was the man during his pomp.

I'm sure Virgil will be in that conversation somewhere along the line.

 

[tomasjj]

with the leagues and countries so diverse an international now, all over, talking about foreigners feels quite dated

 

[dantes]

with the leagues and countries so diverse an international now, all over, talking about foreigners feels quite dated

Then you need to man up. I'll tell you why, unless you suffered memory loss due to the woke brain damage, you will remember that in the late 90's those players were most accurately described as foreigners. That league, that culture, that style of football, those fans' perspective of them, was all entirely foreign. So having the ability and confidence to adapt as a foreign player was a rare gift which puts them levels above today's "foreign in name only" players. In the same way, McManaman going to Spain and succeeding is far more impressive than Bellingham succeeding in Dortmund today. These things are facts that accurately describe the recent past, and they're important to preserve, more important than your life let alone your feelings. You would denigrate the greatness of Sami Hyypia because of your desire to now live in a safe space. Have some god damned shame my child.

 

[Farkmaster]

Then you need to man up. I'll tell you why, unless you suffered memory loss due to the woke brain damage, you will remember that in the late 90's those players were most accurately described as foreigners. That league, that culture, that style of football, those fans' perspective of them, was all entirely foreign. So having the ability and confidence to adapt as a foreign player was a rare gift which puts them levels above today's "foreign in name only" players. In the same way, McManaman going to Spain and succeeding is far more impressive than Bellingham succeeding in Dortmund today. These things are facts that accurately describe the recent past, and they're important to preserve, more important than your life let alone your feelings. You would denigrate the greatness of Sami Hyypia because of your desire to now live in a safe space. Have some god damned shame my child.

I think his very modest point is that it feels weird NOW talking about foreigners. And it is NOW. It's anachronistic. And that's what happens if you start talking about Van Dijk, which is where the conversation had wandered, naturally.

You can read things sympathetically rather than just impotently attempting to shove your flaccid copypasta into every fucking orifice.

 

[Fabio]

Sami is one of my favourite ever Liverpool players. He was great

 

[Farkmaster]

Sami is one of my favourite ever Liverpool players. He was great

A giraffe that could do ballet up the other end of the pitch too. Love that volley against Juventus. It's not like a wondergoal but it's just so clean and simply on his left foot.

 

[dantes]

I think his very modest point is that it feels weird NOW talking about foreigners. And it is NOW. It's anachronistic. And that's what happens if you start talking about Van Dijk, which is where the conversation had wandered, naturally.

You can read things sympathetically rather than just impotently attempting to shove your flaccid copypasta into every fucking orifice.

You're missing the point my child. I know exactly why it feels weird now, and if you succumb to that feeling now, then from now on you will never talk about past players as being foreign, and in doing so you erase one of the uniquely great things about Hyypia's accomplishments. Let's use a more obvious example, say woke culture evolves to include plant life, and in future it becomes racist to talk about grass as being uneven and unsafe. Then in so doing you will erase one of the uniquely great things about Pele, Best, and Maradona, and unfairly bring them down to Messi's level, denigrating them. These things are unacceptable and ought to be enough reason on their own for every single member of this forum to unwoke themselves. That's the point my child.

 

[Squiggles]

I was as sadder when Hyypia retired then I was when Gerrard left for LA. I cannot give the man a bigger compliment.

Carragher is right - Hyypia is one of the best signings in PL history.

 

[Farkmaster]

You're missing the point my child. I know exactly why it feels weird now, and if you succumb to that feeling now, then from now on you will never talk about past players as being foreign, and in doing so you erase one of the uniquely great things about Hyypia's accomplishments. Let's use a more obvious example, say woke culture evolves to include plant life, and in future it becomes racist to talk about grass as being uneven and unsafe. Then in so doing you will erase one of the uniquely great things about Pele, Best, and Maradona, and unfairly bring them down to Messi's level, denigrating them. These things are unacceptable and ought to be enough reason on their own for every single member of this forum to unwoke themselves. That's the point my child.

No one thinks it's weird for the reasons you are ascribing. Someone is noting the passage of time and how things change. There need not be any moral judgement to make that observation.

We are talking about sami hyppia here, and you're talking the same shite you do everywhere. It's not me who is missing the point. Fuck off.

 

[tomasjj]

Sorry Farky for having to take the talk. I got the muppet on ignore.

 

[Farkmaster]

The second or third time I went to anfield was in 2004, against wolves, and Hyppia scored a bread and butter style header on a corner in the 93rd minute. Leapt up higher than everyone and nodded it in easily.

Everyone knew Houllier was done at this point and the ground was just dead and disillusioned. It was a fucking horrible game where we huffed and puffed against a team that got relegated easily in last place, I think. Our team was so mediocre due to poor recruitment and fading talents and I'm fairly certain it would be in a relegation scrap nowadays. I remember going absolutely nuts and people looking at me like... that's cute, he really thinks this is important.

We scraped fourth though, which turned out to be quite useful the following year.

 

[Judge Jules]

If I'm picking the All-Time XI Jocky Hansen and Virgil are the CBs, but Sami would defo be on the bench. Great player, great guy, a true Red.

 

[dantes]

No one thinks it's weird for the reasons you are ascribing. Someone is noting the passage of time and how things change. There need not be any moral judgement to make that observation.

We are talking about sami hyppia here, and you're talking the same shite you do everywhere. It's not me who is missing the point. Fuck off.

Where did I argue any of that? What people think are reasons? The passage of time? Moral judgements? What the fuck? Go and get your booster, it may assist your poor comprehension skills.

 

[Farkmaster]

Great, I'm an idiot, and it's directly linked to my vaccinations, I agree.

Anyway, Sami's leaving was an emotional one. Big man had a cry. One of those players where I often wished we could take his head and graft it onto the body of someone else as he declined. He was so slow on the turn at the end and he made it work more often than not by virtue of quick thinking.

 

[LarryHagman]

Brilliant signing Hyypia, up there with the best couple of mil ever spent. Hyypia, Henchoz, Finnan/Babbel and Carra was an iron back 4. We've been blessed with some great CBs, I might take Hansen and Lawrenson as my best ever but Sami would be there or thereabouts. And Virg obvs.

 

[tombrown]

Great, I'm an idiot, and it's directly linked to my vaccinations, I agree.

Anyway, Sami's leaving was an emotional one. Big man had a cry. One of those players where I often wished we could take his head and graft it onto the body of someone else as he declined. He was so slow on the turn at the end and he made it work more often than not by virtue of quick thinking.

Do.Not.Engage

 

[Red Astaire]

Can't really disagree ...

"Everyone talks about foreign players like Zola, Henry and Bergkamp but they never look at Sami.
"In terms of consistency he's well up there with them, there's no doubt about it. Maybe he can do something out of the blue every now and again but every week, for nine months of the season, Sami Hyypia is your man.
"He's definitely one of the best foreign players this country has ever seen."
Jamie Carragher on Sami Hyypia

Great post and a great comment from Carra - I've seen him play a few times but the first time and favourite was a pre season friendly against Stoke around 1999. We lost that day 1-0 and Sami was a sub. There was just a bunch of kids playing that day really. In that regard the result was no bother. Sami came on in the 60th minute or something and the effect he had on the team was extraordinary. He was calmness personified. A real leader and his presence on the pitch resonated with everyone around me. I was in the Stoke end that day keeping my head down but all the 'Naughty 40' around me were in awe. A wonderful player and a real favourite of mine. Love Sami.

 

[Modo]

It's hard for me describe how highly I rated Hyypia. My thought when he left was "who the hell is going to cover for him now?".
Carra, Skrtel, Agger? None of them were at his level. It took us almost 10 years to find his replacement and it shouldn't surprise you that when we did our defense looked just as stable if not more stable than it did during Sami's days.
Hyypia is one of those players who should have won a league title.

 

[dogboy]

Do.Not.Engage

He's the only person I put on ignore on this site. That was about 2 months ago, it's been fucking great.

 

[Judge Jules]

As part of the TV build-up to the FA Cup Final in our Treble year, the BBC had Carra go through the Liverpool line-up and introduce them one by one. One of the things he said about each player was his dressing-room nickname. When he got to Sami he said (for full effect you have to imagine this in Carra's high-pitched voice and strong Scouse accent): "E asn' gorra nickname - we're all scared of 'im!". 😀