Seyi George Olofinjana

Seyi George Olofinjana (born June 30, 1980 in Lagos) is a Nigerian football (soccer)er, who plays for Stoke City F.C. in the English Premier League. "Seyi" is a nickname for the Yoruba people name "Oluwaseyi" (meaning "God made this").

Playing career

Olofinjana started his professional football career at FC Crown Ogbomoso, and later moved on to play in the Nigerian Premier League for Kwara United F.C.. During this time, he also broke into the Nigeria national football team, the Super Eagles, making his debut on June 6, 2000 in a 3-2 friendly win over Malawi national football team.

The midfielder moved to Norwegian club SK Brann in 2003, where he played one season, and went on to play in every game of the 2004 African Cup of Nations in Tunisia, as Nigeria finished third.

He then moved to Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C., newly-relegated from the Premier League, in a £1.7 million deal in July 2004. He had also attracted interest from F.C. Copenhagen

He immediately became a first choice player at Molineux Stadium but struggled for consistency in performances. A back injury in Autumn 2005 kept him out for the rest of the season, forcing him to miss the 2006 African Cup of Nations.

He found his form in the 2006-07_in_English_football Football League Championship, however, finishing as the club's top goalscorer as they made the play-offs under Mick McCarthy. He netted Wolves' opening goal of the following campaign in a 2-1 defeat to Watford F.C., but could not repeat his goalscoring antics of the previous season, scoring only twice more, against Burnley and Plymouth respectively. He missed part of the season as he competed in the 2008 African Cup of Nations where Nigeria national football team lost in the quarter-finals.

In June 2008, following Wolves failure to reach the play-offs, they confirmed that they had accepted a transfer request from the player. The midfielder had signed a four-year contract in October 2007, but a release clause was inserted which had now been activated. On 26 July 2008, he gained his wish of a move to the Premier League when Stoke City F.C. signed him on a four-year deal for £3m to play in their inaugural campaign in the division. A work permit was agreed on 1 August 2008. He scored his first goal for Stoke City in the home game against Everton F.C. on 14 September 2008.

Personal life

Olofinjana is a graduate of Chemical Engineering from the Ladoke Akintola University Of Technology, Ogbomoso and also sat exams as part of his Masters degree in Chemical Engineering in July 2007.