Liverpool defender Sami Hyypia has expressed his disappointment at being omitted from his side's Champions League squad...
The 34-year-old central defender has fallen foul to new UEFA requirements which dictate that each competing Champions League side must have at least eight 'association trained' players in their squad of 25 - eight players who have been trained in that club's country of origin. Of those eight, at least four squad members have to have been trained at the club in question.
Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard, Jay Spearing and Stephen Darby fill those requirements, while Jermaine Pennant, Robbie Keane, Steven Irwin and Martin Kelly all received their football schooling elsewhere in the UK.
Hyypia is one of the unlucky imported players that have been prevented from taking part in the group stage of the Champions League, and he has blasted the club over the timing of the news.
Liverpool turned down bids for Hyypia from other Premier League sides over the summer, only to tell the Finn of his omission after the transfer deadline had passed.
He admitted his shock at hearing the news, and also his disappointment in manager Rafa Benitez's timing.
He told the Liverpool Echo: "The manager's decision to leave me out of the squad is a big disappointment for me. I understand it's partly because of the UEFA regulations, but despite that, the news came as a surprise to me and a shock too.
"But the club had a 'perfect' timing for this: they didn't want me to move elsewhere, so that's why I was told the news of having been left out, just after the transfer window had closed.
"The club went public to say there had been offers for me, but turned them down. So perhaps that means I am still part of the plans for this season.
"I don't know if I would have wanted to move on, had I heard the news about the squad when the window was still open."
Hyypia may still have a Champions League reprieve - should the Reds progress from the group stages, they will have another chance to submit a revised list. In the meantime, Hyypia hopes to play a role in the club's Premier League campaign.
No comments:
Post a Comment