Wolves midfielder Seyi Olofinjana admits he would risk harming his season again by playing in the African Nations Cup – despite the tournament leaving him dehydrated.
Olofinjana admitted he was a pale shadow of his true self after returning from duty with Nigeria in January.
The 27-year-old missed eight games for Wolves either side of the competition and ended up scoring just three goals this season, after being the club’s 10-goal top scorer in 2006-07.
Olofinjana and his team-mates endured temperatures of 35C and his loss of energy affected him so much on his return that boss Mick McCarthy withdrew him from the team.
But he says he would do it all again because of his love of playing for his country.
“I’m a Nigerian and want to represent my country,” said Olofinjana. “So I would be ready to do it again – but I just might have to prepare better.
“The African Cup of Nations didn’t do me any good, it took a while to get back into the flow of things.
“I came back dehydrated and it was perhaps difficult for people to understand – they expect you to come back and get straight into it.
“As a professional footballer you want to do your best at all times but preparation really matters.
“I don’t think I could consider not going, it gladdens my heart to play for my country.
“I love to play for my country any time, any day, just like someone like Steven Gerrard loves playing for England.”
Olofinjana says supporters critical of his performances perhaps didn’t realise how his preparations had been affected.
“People just see you pull on the jersey and don’t know what else is going on, what has happened in the preparation, all sorts of things,” he said.
“But there are other factors and a lot of things happen prior to games.”
45 Comments
We have enough dross in our team without you, i think you should find another club.
im siting here watching bristol city v palace in the playoffs 2 very poor sides in this league and we finished behind em and you seyi and the other players this week talkin about moving on and your countrys wen you shud be at home watchin this and see how much pride the players have for there team not u perfectic bunch goin on ur holidays disgrace
Well thanks for letting us know where your priorities lie take note Mick
very funny i cant stop lofin
simpleton!!!
Olofinjana is a fine footballer and played well in the back end of the season.
I’d do the same if was him.
At least we’re shedding the deadwood.
get rid we need players commited to wolves who pay his wages.and by the way seyi you aint that good anyway so please mick if anyone comes in for him sell sell sell
George is only telling the truth. WHat do you want - muppets who kiss the badge, say their love for your club - then clear off as soon as a wad of cash is waved?
George has been 100% loyal to Wolves. A class player we need to build around.
OLINFINJANA IS THE BIGGEST WASTE OF SPACE IVE EVER SEEN AT THE MOLINEUX, CANT PASS, NO SPEED, CANT TACKLE, CANT HEAD I WOULD RELEASE HIM ON A FREE TRANSFER AND BRING IN STEED MALBRANQUE
club 1st country 2nd…..’nuff said
Steed Malbranque? I wide player playing regularly for Tottenham?
How can aqnyone deny this man the right to play for the country of his allegiance? Is this because it’s not England? Carry on as you see fit George. Just drink more water!
i like seyi but thee comments are bloody stuipd,remember seyi….WHO PAYS YOUR WAGES!!!!!!!
I bet these comments have been blown out of proportion,seyi has always shown 100% to the wolves cause
When will Mick realise he needs to get rid of Collins and S Ward as well, Im happy with the names going but what about those two.
RF - you’re having a laugh mate. Have you ever been to a football match?
well hes got to try and win summet sumwhere aint he,not gunna win nowt at dingles boing boing CHAMPIONS CHAMPIONS
Trouble is George before this season you have been at best inconsistent and this season you were off form before the African Nations. I can count only four or fives games when you were effective.
IM A SEASON TICKET HOLDER AND LIKE MOST PEOPLE AROUND ME CAN SEE WHY THE NORWEGIANS WANTED RID- ABSOLUTELY HOPELESS- IF FULHAM GO DOWN WOULD LIKE TO SEE US GET JIMMY BULLARD AND STEWART DOWNING FROM MIDDLESBORO
obviously he thinks he can win something with his national team rather than the moulinex cubs.
The boat is rocking and the ship will sink to further depths!!!
It’s not you taking the risk oly - its the club. Mick must buy to ensure that when/if he goes then the replacement is likely to do so well that he keeps his place on Oly’s return.
Fine selection of gibbons posting already. George is a quality midfielder at championship level. He’ll be running our midfield next season.
wasnt he on subs bench all tournement?
also
1. wheres this best midfielder in championship? i can name at least 30 better midfielders and 2 in our own team! so that says it all
2. wheres this 10goals we hearing about?
Hesan okay player. I betif he was going off to playfor England we would allbe proud of him. But i dont know what the point of this article is. I get the impression that some one either at the club or E&S are just out to cause trouble amongst fans for some reasen
Thinks to much of himself and we should get what we can for him
Wolves need some good young players from lower leagues like we have done with jarvis and kightly : We need 3 defenders , 2 midfielders and 2 strikers !!
C.BERRA Hearts 24 1.25m
A.GERRARD Walsall 22 £800k
D.BECKWITH Hereford 24 FREE
K.COMMONS Not For 24 FREE
D.BELL Luton (On Loan Leicester) 24 £800k
A.MCLEAN Peterbrough 24 1.0m
F.CAMPBELL MAN U 20 LOAN IN
COME ON MICK .. THESE WOULD BE GREAT PLAYERS FOR WOLVES !!!
whats all the fuss about, i don’t get it
it means alot to put the gold and black shirt on to him but means more to him to put on the nigeria shirt!!
i have been a wolves fan all my life to put on the gold and balck shirt would be a dreamc ome true but playing for england would mean more to me aswell!!
fair play oli, i wish the england players show the passion which you show, we might be in euro 2008 if they did!
i liked rosa in midfield . he s like a tiger compared to george . BUY WAGGY S TALES . its excellent
LUCKILY WE AIN’T A ONE MAN TEAM..WELL EXCEPT FOR KITES OF COURSE..GO ON GEORGE PLAY FOR YOUR COUNTRY IF NEED BE..I’M SURE MUPPETS BAND OF IDIOT..OOPPS LOYAL SUPPORTERS WILL TELL US WE’RE GONNA CRUISE UP AS CHAMPIONS NEXT SEASON.
he says he came back and didnt play very well for a bit. he was playing rubbish for ages b4 that aswell. for ollys its been a poor season.
Doesn’t punch his weight & never has done, I suspect he is the highest paid player at the club.
If an decent offer comes in let him go!!!! Not that it will.
Didn’t know he’d returned from the last Africans Nations Cup until the 87th minute against Plymouth!
17 - Stuart Downing LMAO
Can’t have it both ways!!!!!!
One minute saying that he hasn’t played well this season and then saying that he would go to the African Cup and risk coming back knackered again!!!
No bloody point having him in the squad if that is the loyalty he has to who pays for his bread and butter!
Why all these bad comments on Oli? The real problem is the crazy dates of the African nations games. Its every footballers dream to play for his country so you cannot knock him for that. I never saw Beckham stick 2 fingers up at England, he would have been crucified so its no different for Oli. If you want to moan, get on to FIFA to do something, lay off our players.
Good on ya George and quite rightly so! You should be proud and always want to play for your country. God only knows that England fans up and down our nation criticise our players for not showing enough passion and commitment and for only being interested in their clubs! You make a pledge to your country and our knuckle head fans trap off at you for it!
George is one of the best players in this league and certianly one of our best players. Premiership managers can see that but obviously ‘South Bank Man’ seems to know and understand the game far better than them!!??!!
15 terryidiotBOGGIE. JUST WAIT TILL NEXT SEASON THE TESCOS WILL BE THE LAUGHING STOCK SUPPOSE YOU WILL ALL CRAWL BACK INTO THE WOODWORK.
RF - you may have a season ticket but you clearly know nothing about football. Oli is a great player on form and only consistency makes him short of premier level. Like most fans I put club first, but players are not fans and want to play at the highest level possible - it’s not his fault that the African Nations is played in the miffle of our season. Good luck with Wolves and Nigeria.
On his day olo runs the midfield its as simple as that
Can’t knock him for playing for his country, I would. Its just that I don’t think he is good enough. 6 feet+ and couldn’t knock my old girl off the ball. And don’t get me started on his shooting capabilities. Can he actually reach the goal from 18 yards? Seyi, your time is up. Mark Davies, get yourself fit sunshine, your fans await you.
You can’t blame a man for wanting to play for his country, but the excuses are wearing thin. When I got back from a tour of Afghanistan, I didn’t moan about dehydration and got on with my work. Besides there is no excuse for dehydration, you know you have to drink lots of water in hot countries. Or maybe he just spent the whole time partying and that was why he was dehydrated.
Im sorry guys and girls, in my book if I could play for my country England it would come first also. I think it takes pride to play for your country of origin and no one should put him down. His country first his club 2nd is exactly what I would do or juggle them both. If England had that same pride we would be in the Euros and would of won a few cups. Rather than play for money like most players do.
Up the Wolves and Walsall next year
He was playing very poor before he went so was not missed as far as i’m concerned.
To George
you have had a poor season, just because you came good for the last few games doesnt get you off the hook for your poor lacklustre performances for 2/3 of the season.
he was too quiet most of season and did not live up to season before
anyone else agree?
or is it just me?
35,mic,like your the laughin stock of the championship you mean boing boing lololololol
well Seyi your right to say you would play for nigeria over your club and i would to if i was him.
Seyi Olofinjana is a great footballer and we can not lose him.
up the wolves
as a wolves eason ticket holder some of the people who replied to my earlier thread clearly never go to the games…very sad
George your not george best. stop going on like your wolves top midfielder. Seen a Carthorse move and react quicker at times this season.