Sami Hyypia,Biography,latest News,Personal Life,Career Statistics....

Bayer Leverkusen defender and former Liverpool captain Sami Hyypia has announced his retirement at the age of 37.

The Finland centre-back will take up a coaching role with the German club next season and it is also planned for him to be involved in his national team's set-up.
"The decision to retire gradually grew during the season," Hyypia was reported as saying by Finnish TV station MTV3.
"I had no interest any more to go elsewhere to play.
"There are no regrets. Thanks to all those who have helped during the course of my career and to my relatives a big thank you, without family and friends it would not have been possible."
Speaking about his move into coaching Hyypia added: "It will be an interesting year.
"I must get a coaching license and then I get the experience of Leverkusen and the national team coaching.
"I'm really happy about this. All who know me know I put myself fully into it. It is 100% or nothing."
During a glittering 10-year career at Anfield Hyypia, a £2.5million signing from Dutch side Willem II in 1999, won the Champions League, UEFA Cup, two FA Cups, two League Cups and two European Super Cups.

Sami Tuomas Hyypiä

~ Born October the 7^th 1973
~ Height 196 cm / 6 feet 4 inches
~ Weight 89 kg / 14 stones

~ Teams:

-          Voikkaan Pallo-Peikot (= The Ball Bogys of Voikkaa [obviously translated by me, again]) 1980–1989, Voikkaa, Finland
-          Kumu 1990–1991, Kuusankoski, Finland
-          MyPa (Myllykosken Pallo -47) 1992–1995, Anjalankoski, Finland
-          Willem II 1996–1999, Tilburg, The Netherlands
-          Liverpool FC 1999-, Liverpool, England









Career

Early Clubs
Hyypiä started his career with Pallo-Peikot where he played every position except his final destination defender  and KuMu, before joining Veikkausliiga club MyPa for the 1992 season. He won the Finnish Cup with MyPa in 1992 and 1995. In 1995, he went on trial at Newcastle United for a first taste of English football when he was 22. Hyypiä said "They (Newcastle) certainly helped my career. I had a two-week trial in 1995 under Kevin Keegan and it gave me an insight into English football. I was a young player in Finland and I didn't really expect it to lead to anything. I just went for the experience, but it was good experience and I enjoyed my time there. It helped me a lot at the time to see a big English club at close hand and I always look forward to going back."

Willem II Tilburg
Later that year Hyypiä joined Dutch club Willem II. Hyypiä spent four years with the Eredivisie team and soon became a favourite with the fans winning the fan's player of the year award in his final season. Hyypiä captained the side to qualification for the Champions League, although he was not to stick around to play in their European campaign the following season.

 Liverpool
On 19th May 1999 Hyypiä was bought by Liverpool, the team he supported as a boy, for £2.6 million, having been recommended to former chief executive Peter Robinson by a TV cameraman. Upon his arrival, Hyypiä immediately formed a successful central defensive partnership with fellow arrival Stéphane Henchoz. In the 2000–01 season, Hyypiä shared the captaincy of Liverpool with Robbie Fowler while Jamie Redknapp, the full-time captain, was suffering from a long-term injury. During that season, Hyypiä and Fowler led the team to a historic cup treble: the Worthington Cup, FA Cup and UEFA Cup.

Hyypiä playing for Liverpool.In 2002, Hyypiä became the full-time Liverpool captain after Redknapp, who had been blighted by long-term injuries, and Fowler both left the club. However after such a bright start to his Liverpool career came a relative lull and in 2003 Hyypiä was replaced as Liverpool captain by Steven Gerrard.
In 2003, Hyypiä received a red card against Manchester United, the only red of his career. "Van Nistelrooy was going through and maybe I took his shirt a little bit. The referee thought so. I got a straight red card. They got a penalty. It was an agony to watch the game in the dressing room. The only red card of my career. You remember that sort of thing."
In 2004, new Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez moved Jamie Carragher from fullback to partner Hyypiä in central defence. This seemingly reinvigorated Hyypiä and the team went on to have a successful season, winning the UEFA Champions League, on the back of their solid defence. On 10 August 2005, it was reported that Hyypiä had agreed to a new three-year contract after weeks of talks with the Reds which would keep him at Anfield until 2008.
During the 2005–06 season he was relegated to third-choice captain after Jamie Carragher's ascent as Gerrard's deputy on the field. During the season he climbed into the top 25 in the club's all-time appearances table after featuring in the Carling Cup against Arsenal in January 2007.
Despite speculation in the summer of 2007 linking him to Fulham, Newcastle United, Reading and Wigan Athletic, Hyypiä insisted that he will stay until the end of his contract. On 25 August 2007 Hyypiä broke his nose during an away match against Sunderland in the Stadium of Light. He quickly returned on the pitch to play against Toulouse in the Champions League qualifying match on 28 August 2007, in which he scored the second goal for Liverpool while wearing the captain's armband in the absence of Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher.
In April 2008, Hyypiä signed a new deal until Summer 2009 with Benitez stating he is a good role model for young defenders such as Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger. The 2008/2009 season will mark the defender's tenth season at the club.
On 2nd March 2008 with his appearance vs Bolton Wanderers, Hyypiä made it into the top 20 Liverpool FC player appearances of all time.
On 8th April 2008 he scored the equaliser between Liverpool F.C. and Arsenal F.C. in the Champions League quarterfinal. Liverpool went on to win the match scoring three more goals in the process, the final result being 4-2, taking Liverpool to the semifinals.
On 30th April 2008 he fouled Michael Ballack to give Chelsea a penalty kick in extra time of the second leg of the 2008 Champions League semifinal. Frank Lampard scored the penalty kick to put Chelsea ahead 3-2.
Hyypiä was voted in 19th place in Sky's Top 50 Premier League Foreign Players , in 45th place in Four Four Two magazine's 100 Greatest Foreigner Players , and in 38th position in "100 Players Who Shook the Kop"

 Finland
Hyypiä made his debut for the Finnish national football team against Tunisia on 7 November 1992 aged 19. He is the leader of Finland's defence, and is also the second choice captain of the team. He is third in the list of all time appearances for Finland with 90. If Hyypiä plays all of Finland's qualifying game for the 2010 World cup he will reach 100 caps.
On his 50th cap in 2003, Hyypiä scored the winning goal versus Northern Ireland , ironically Hyypiä's first international goal was against the same team
Hyypiä has been crowned footballer of the year in Finland six times
 

Personal life Hyypiä is married to Susanna Rissanen. They have two sons; Rico Nestor Hyypiä and Kasper Erik Hyypiä.

2010/11 Statistics
TEAM	Competition	GS	SB	G	A	SH	SG	FC	FS	YC	RC
Finland	ECQ	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
Bayer Leverkusen	Europa	5	0	0	0	3	1	3	1	1	0
Bayer Leverkusen	Ger Cup	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Bayer Leverkusen	Bund	19	1	1	0	8	2	15	10	1	0
Season Totals		27	1	1	0	11	3	18	11	2	1

2009/10 Statistics
TEAM	Competition	GS	SB	G	A	SH	SG	FC	FS	YC	RC
Bayer Leverkusen	Bund	32	0	2	2	34	14	38	20	7	0
Bayer Leverkusen	Ger Cup	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0
Finland	WCQ	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	0
Season Totals		38	0	2	2	34	14	39	23	7	0

2008/09 Statistics
TEAM	Competition	GS	SB	G	A	SH	SG	FC	FS	YC	RC
Finland	WCQ	4	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0
Finland	ECQ	13	0	1	0	3	3	8	13	4	0
Liverpool	CC	2	0	1	0	2	1	4	2	0	0
Liverpool	FAC	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	0	0
Liverpool	Prem	12	4	1	0	15	4	8	3	1	0
Liverpool	UCL	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Season Totals		32	4	3	0	21	8	21	20	5	0

2007/08 Statistics
TEAM	Competition	GS	SB	G	A	SH	SG	FC	FS	YC	RC
Liverpool	FAC	4	0	1	0	3	3	4	3	2	0
Finland	Int	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Liverpool	Prem	24	3	1	1	16	8	17	22	1	0
Liverpool	UCL	12	1	2	1	9	3	10	3	1	0
Season Totals		41	4	4	2	28	14	31	28	4	0

2006/07 Statistics
TEAM	Competition	GS	SB	G	A	SH	SG	FC	FS	YC	RC
Liverpool	UCL	5	0	0	0	1	0	8	2	1	0
Liverpool	Prem	23	0	2	1	14	6	28	19	3	0
Liverpool	Comm	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Finland	Int	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Liverpool	FAC	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Liverpool	CC	1	0	1	0	1	1	1	0	0	0
Season Totals		30	0	3	1	16	7	37	21	4	0

2005/06 Statistics
TEAM	Competition	GS	SB	G	A	SH	SG	FC	FS	YC	RC
Liverpool	CC	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Liverpool	FAC	6	0	1	0	4	1	6	9	1	0
Liverpool	Prem	35	1	1	0	19	8	28	28	3	0
Liverpool	UCL	13	0	0	0	2	0	10	0	0	0
Liverpool	CWC	2	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	0
Liverpool	Super C	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	0
Season Totals		58	1	2	0	25	9	44	37	5	0

2004/05 Statistics
TEAM	Competition	GS	SB	G	A	SH	SG	FC	FS	YC	RC
Finland	ECQ	8	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Liverpool	UCL	14	0	1	0	2	1	7	0	1	0
Liverpool	Prem	32	0	2	0	14	5	31	32	2	0
Liverpool	FAC	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Liverpool	CC	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Season Totals		56	0	3	0	16	6	38	32	5	0

2003/04 Statistics
TEAM	Competition	GS	SB	G	A	SH	SG	FC	FS	YC	RC
Finland	Int	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Liverpool	CC	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Liverpool	FAC	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Liverpool	Prem	37	0	4	0	30	30	36	39	1	0
Liverpool	UEFA	8	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Season Totals		51	0	6	0	30	30	36	39	1	0

2002/03 Statistics
TEAM	Competition	GS	SB	G	A	SH	SG	FC	FS	YC	RC
Liverpool	UEFA	6	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Liverpool	UCL	6	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Liverpool	Prem	36	0	3	2	22	8	0	0	0	1
Liverpool	FAC	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Liverpool	CC	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Finland	Int	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Liverpool	Comm	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Season Totals		57	0	5	2	22	8	0	0	1	1

2001/02 Statistics
TEAM	Competition	GS	SB	G	A	SH	SG	FC	FS	YC	RC
Liverpool	Comm	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Liverpool	CC	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Liverpool	FAC	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Liverpool	Prem	28	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
Liverpool	UCL	11	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	0

Dani Pedrosa,Biography,Latest News.........

Dani Pedrosa
Pedrosa at the 2007 Australian Grand Pri
Nationality		Spanish
Date of birth		September 29, 1985 (age 25)
Place of birth		Sabadell, Spain
Current team		Repsol Honda Team
Bike number		26
Website		danipedrosa.com
[show]Career statistics

Early days

Dani Pedrosa started riding bikes at the early age of four, when he got his first motorcycle, an Italjet 50, which had side-wheels. His first racing bike was a minibike replica of Kawasaki, which he got at the age of six and which he used to race with his friends. Pedrosa experienced real racing at the age of 9, when he entered the Spanish Minibike Championship and ended his debut season in second place, scoring his first podium finish in the second race of the season. The next year, Pedrosa entered the same championship, but health problems prevented him from improving his results and he ended that season in 3rd position.

125cc

In 2001, Pedrosa made his World Championship debut in the 125cc class after being selected from the Movistar Activa Cup, a series designed to promote fresh racing talent in Spain, back in 1999. Under the guidance of Alberto Puig, Pedrosa scored two podium finishes in the first season and won his first race the following year, when he finished third in the championship. In 2003, he won five races and won the championship with two rounds remaining, scoring 223 points. In his first championship winning year, Pedrosa scored five victories and six podium finishes. A week after winning the championship, eighteen-year-old Pedrosa broke both of his ankles in a crash during practice at Phillip Island (Australia), ending his season.

 250cc

After winning the 125cc Championship, Pedrosa moved up to the 250cc class in 2004 without a proper test on the new bike because his ankles were healing during the off-season. Going into the season unprepared, Pedrosa won the first race in South Africa and went on to clinch the 250cc World Championship title, including rookie of the year honours. In his first season in 250cc class, Pedrosa scored 7 victories and 13 podium finishes. Pedrosa decided to stay for one more season in 250cc class, and he won another title, once again with two races remaining in championship. In 2005, Pedrosa won 8 races and scored 14 podium finishes, despite a shoulder injury he sustained in practice session for Japanese Grand Prix.

MotoGP

 Pedrosa made the move to 990cc MotoGP bikes in 2006, riding for Repsol Honda. Critics said that Pedrosa's tiny stature wasn't strong enough to handle a big, heavy MotoGP bike and successfully race in the premier class. Proving them wrong, he finished second in the opening round at Jerez on March 26, 2006. At his fourth ever MotoGP appearance, on May 14, 2006, during the Chinese Grand Prix race weekend held in Shanghai, he won his first MotoGP race. This win made him the exact equal 2nd youngest winner (tied with the late Norick Abe) in the Premier Class[1] behind Freddie Spencer. He won his second MotoGP race at Donington Park and became a strong candidate for the MotoGP Championship. It was a memorable victory for Dani, who shared the podium first time with Valentino Rossi in 2nd place. He also took two pole positions in the first half of the season.

Until the Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang, Pedrosa was 2nd in the Championship only behind his more experienced team-mate Nicky Hayden. However, he fell heavily during Free Practice and suffered a severe gash to the knee, which practically rendered him immobile. Pedrosa qualified 5th on the grid in that race due to the cancellation of the qualifying session proper due to heavy rainfall. He miraculously managed to finish 3rd in that race, only behind Rossi and Ducati rider Loris Capirossi. However, in the next races, his form dropped and he struggled with the bike, moving him down to 5th place in the MotoGP standings.


His poor performance continued at Estoril. After a promising start, he briefly ran 2nd before being passed by Colin Edwards and then championship leader and teammate Nicky Hayden. On lap 5, he and Hayden were involved in a crash. Pedrosa made a mistake whilst trying to overtake Hayden, slid and crashed out of the race, taking out Hayden on the way. This crash ended his slim chances of winning the championship and also caused Hayden to lose his lead in the championship standings, as Rossi managed to finish 2nd.

However, two weeks later, Hayden recovered to win the championship while Pedrosa managed to finish in 4th place. This result clinched his 5th place in overall standings in his debut season, thus taking the title as Rookie of the Year in MotoGP category, beating fellow rookie and former rival in 250 cc Casey Stoner. At the final (post 2006 season) three day test of 2006 at Jerez Spain, Dani put his 800 cc RC212V at the top of the timesheets (on qualifying tyres) edging out Valentino Rossi by 0.214 seconds. Rossi had been fastest for the first two days of the test. Dani set a time of 1min 39.910 sec around the circuit.

Pedrosa continued to race with Honda in 2007 on their Honda RC212V, the new 800 cc bike. The machine had problems,[2] and Pedrosa was taken out of races by Olivier Jacque and by Randy de Puniet, but he finished the season in second place behind Stoner and ahead of Rossi. He signed a 2-year contract with Repsol Honda for 2008 and 2009.[3]

In 2008 Pedrosa's problems with the RC212V continued when he was injured in the pre-season and missed developmental testing, but started the season well by scoring a podium at the first round.[4] While leading the race and the standings in the German round, he crashed and was injured, keeping him from racing in the following two rounds. Michelin's performance in MotoGP deteriorated, resulting in Pedrosa switching to Bridgestone at the Indianapolis round.[5][6] He finished third in the standings in 2008.

As in 2008, Pedrosa crashed in the 2009 pre-season and injured himself, keeping him from testing the machine before the start of the season. He placed 11th in the first round, but recovered his fitness in the following rounds.[7] At the fifth round he injured himself again in practice and then fell during the race, putting him 33 points behind the leader.

For 2010, Pedrosa has reverted to number 26—a number he used when he first entered MotoGP—from number 2 in 2008 and number 3 in 2009. He took this decision to please his fans who had asked him to return to the number he had always used.[9] Pedrosa has won four races in 2010 and currently lies second in the overall standings behind Jorge Lorenzo, who has already secured the championship.
 
Latest News

Pedrosa claims late Portuguese win

Dani Pedrosa finally ended Jorge Lorenzo's 100% record at Estoril with a victory which closed the gap at the top of the MotoGP standings.

Reigning champion Lorenzo had won all three of his previous MotoGP visits to the Portuguese circuit from pole position and looked set to again take his factory Yamaha to victory for most of the race.
But fellow Spaniard Pedrosa gave chase before mounting a late move to take his first win of the season with fellow Repsol Honda rider Casey Stoner third.
Third and final Repsol man Andrea Dovizioso pipped Valentino Rossi to fourth place by just 0.2seconds while British rider Cal Crutchlow put in another impressive display to finish eighth just weeks after surgery on his right arm.
Lorenzo now leads the championship by just four points from Pedrosa, with Stoner 20 points further back in third.
After poor weather all weekend the racers were blessed with a sunny afternoon as Lorenzo led from pole while Stoner and Marco Simoncelli nearly took each other out in turn two after clashing fairings.
Simoncelli came under fire this week from Lorenzo for his aggressive style and the Italian duly failed to complete the first lap as he high-sided his Gresini Honda on the exit of turn four.
Rossi took advantage of his compatriot's accident to slot into fourth from ninth on the grid as Lorenzo and Pedrosa made a break from the rest of the pack.
Lorenzo's team-mate Ben Spies had already had one excursion off the circuit when he ditched his Yamaha into a gravel trap at the midway point as the front two increased their advantage over third-placed Stoner.
Pedrosa was showing no ill effects from an operation to remove a steel plate from his shoulder and continued to stalk Lorenzo.
Pedrosa finally made a move with four laps remaining as he dived up the inside to take the lead and opened up a huge lead instantly to streak into a three second advantage by the flag.
There was further drama at the finishing line as Dovizioso nipped in front of Rossi right at the end.
Pedrosa was delighted to claim his first victory of the season and put his injury worries behind him.
The Spaniard has been struggling in the closing stages of races ever since breaking his shoulder last October and had an operation last month to remove a metal plate which was hampering his circulation.
He said: "I'm very happy for the win, but more than the win I'm happy for my condition and it seems that my surgery was finally successful.
"I was trying to rest my arm at times as it was cramping with 15 laps to go, I was riding behind Jorge and waiting for the numbness to come together with the loss of power, but it didn't come.
"I'm just so happy to see that the surgery has worked, it's been around six months with this and it's a big relief."
Crutchlow was also pleased with his performance after battling through the pain barrier.
The Coventry-born rider had an operation to cure a nerve problem in his right arm but was a strong runner throughout on his Tech 3 Yamaha.
He said: "I'm happy enough with that because before the start of the weekend I'd have never thought it possible to finish in the top eight on a circuit I'd never even seen before.
"And considering I had problems with both my arms all weekend, it is a great feeling.
"My right arm, which I had the operation on is fine, but my left arm is really sore because I've been compensating with it.
"If I keep doing what I'm doing at the moment then there is no reason why on tracks that I know that I can't be even further up."