1. Sami Hyypiä
Origin: Finland Bought From: Willem II Bought By: Gérard Houllier Apps: 460 Honours: League Cup 2001 & 2003, FA Cup 2001 & 2006, FA Community Shield 2001 & 2006, UEFA Cup 2001, UEFA Super Cup 2001 & 2005, UEFA Champions League 2005 Big Sami arrived at LFC as a complete unknown to most of the British footballing public. But his instant forming of a partnership with Stéphane Henchoz destroyed any notion that he was there simply to fill the squad. This unbreakable partnership peaked during the 2000-2001 season when Liverpool went absolutely ballistic and won all three of the cup competitions they were entered for: League Cup, FA Cup and UEFA Cup. This landed Sami with 3 major honours for himself and also helped his club gain Champions League football for the following season - laying the foundations for the Bigman's greatest ever footballing achievement (Istanbul anyone?). That next season Liverpool also won the Charity Shield and the UEFA Super Cup; the latter against a strong Bayern Munich side. After being made captain on a permanent basis in 2002, it is said there was a small drop in Hyypiä's performances but the arrival of Jamie Carragher as centre back served to invigorate Sami and his performances were once again back in the world class bracket during the 2004-2005 season. This is when Sami really wrote himself into Liverpool folklore. That year Liverpool won the Champions League with the foundations of the team built on a solid defence (not including the crazy final itself). The next season Liverpool won the FA Cup again, giving Rafael Benitez his second trophy in as many seasons and Sami yet another medal. His tenth season was 2008-2009 and Sami again produced impressive displays when called upon, particularly against Manchester United when Liverpool ripped their rivals to shreds during a 4-1 win - a rarity at the great Old Trafford stadium. Hyypiä left for Germany at the end of the 2008-2009 after ten epic seasons at the heart of the Reds defence. Hyypiä was voted 19th in a list of the Premier League's best foreign players, 45th in FourFourTwo magazine's 100 greatest foreign players and 38th in Liverpool's 100 players who shook the Kop. Sami Hyypiä is one of the best players the Premier League has ever seen, never mind one of the best Liverpool have ever seen. He is also the greatest bargain since football was created. I highly doubt we'll see another player like him, and I'd love to see him back at Anfield as manager some day.
Honourable Mentions from the BPL: Patrik Berger Stéphane Henchoz Milan Baroš Vladimir Smicer Harry Kewell Lucas Leiva Jerzy Dudek Daniel Agger
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