Thommo hails bargain Hyypia

Liverpool legend Phil Thompson has praised the services of Reds defender Sami Hyypia as the Finn heads towards his 700th career appearance this weekend.

Hyypia will pass the milestone if he plays in Saturday’s Premier League clash away to Stoke City, as expected.

And former captain Thompson says Hyypia has been terrific since Gerard Houllier signed him back in 1999.

He said, “He has been, and still is, brilliant for Liverpool. When you consider how much he cost then pound-for-pound he is up there with the £440,000 the club paid for Kenny Dalglish.

“It always makes me laugh when people started saying a few years ago his pace had gone. Sami Hyypia never had any pace to lose! What he has got is an incredible ability to read the game and that has been his biggest asset. More often than not he is in position.

“I’d be lying if I said that when we signed him I thought he’d still be going strong 10 years later. That’s incredibly difficult to do, especially for a foreign player in the Premier League.

“He’s a legend and, for me, Sami is in Alan Hansen’s ilk.”