Hyypia: No short cup in football development

Liverpool legend Sami Hyypia who today June 22 visit at Mwananchi commnication office in Dar es saalam.

What you need to know:

  • Hyypia, who today attends the third edition of the Standard Chartered Cup tournament at the Dar es Salaam Gymkhana Club, said there are so many talented African players, but lack of the strong foundation hindered the continent’s development and instead teams from Europe and other continents dominated the game.

Dar es Salaam. Liverpool legend Sami Hyypia has advised that a strong youth foundation is the only way of developing soccer in Tanzania and Africa in general.

Hyypia, who today attends the third edition of the Standard Chartered Cup tournament at the Dar es Salaam Gymkhana Club, said there are so many talented African players, but lack of the strong foundation hindered the continent’s development and instead teams from Europe and other continents dominated the game.

“I have played in the English Premier League for 10 years with a success, I sacrificed to make a success in the game. Players are supposed to love the game and must have a will to do what they are told to do. Talent without a will is nothing,” said Hyppia when talking to Mwananchi Communication Limited (MCL) staff at their Tabata headquarters in Dar es Salaam.

MCL Managing Director Francis Nanai said MCL is committed to working with the Standard Chartered Bank in its day to day activities and thanked the bank for making Hyppia’ tour a success.

“We have been impressed with Hyypia’s tour and this shows how we have been cooperating with the bank in our daily activities.  We emerged the champions during an inaugural event two years ago and we are also optimistic about doing better in this year’s event,” said Nanai.

For his part, Standard Chartered Bank Managing Director Sunjay Rughani said their bank is committed to the development of sports in the country and that’s why they are sponsoring the tournament for the third time.

Rughani said the winner of this year’s event will visit Liverpool in September, this year, and offered a chance of watching the English Premier League’s new season matches and new players and kits. He added that 32 teams will compete in the knockout tournament.