When I left the club in 2009, I knew I would leave behind many friends and good people. But life goes on and I’m grateful to still be part of the Liverpool family and wouldn’t change anything about it.
In the last game of my Liverpool career, I only played for about six minutes, and I was not satisfied with it! But it's the coach's decision and I always accept the coach's decision. The crowd was great, they were shouting my name from the start of the game and they wanted me to play. When I think back to that day or see some of the scenes from that day, I still get emotional and tears still come to my eyes. I almost returned to Liverpool a year later when Roy Hodgson was in charge.
Hodgson said he wanted me to come back and it was a bit of a dual role because we had worked together in the Finnish national team. We understand each other and have a good relationship. I told Roy I was in Leverkusen and needed to talk to them. I spoke to the Leverkusen management and told them that Roy had called me to ask if I wanted to come back to Liverpool and asked them what they thought. I know they respect me and I know they will answer honestly. I thought they would consider my situation.
But they said, "We're glad you're here, and we don't want you to go." And that was it, it was over for me. I'm not the kind of person who would argue about it, I accept fate or the decisions others make about me and I respect their opinions.
I told Roy and explained the circumstances under which Leverkusen wanted me to stay, and just like that, the discussion was over and he respected my opinion and decision.