Stephen Sunday

Sunny

Sunny before a game with CSKA Sofia in 2014
Personal information
Full nameStephen Obayan Sunday
Date of birth17 September 1988
Place of birthLagos, Nigeria
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing positionMidfielder
Club information
Current team
CSKA Sofia
Number4
Youth career
FC Ebedei
2003–2004Jegede Babes
2004–2005Poli Ejido
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2005–2007Poli Ejido63(0)
2007–2011Valencia10(0)
2008–2009→ Osasuna (loan)4(0)
2009–2010→ Betis (loan)7(0)
2011→ Numancia (loan)14(2)
2011–2013Numancia62(2)
2013Bnei Sakhnin2(0)
2014–CSKA Sofia26(0)
National team‡
2007Spain U195(0)
2007Spain U204(0)
2009Spain U211(0)
2010–Nigeria1(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 13 December 2014.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 10 October 2010

Stephen Obayan Sunday (born 17 September 1988), nicknamed Sunny, is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays for Bulgarian club PFC CSKA Sofia as a defensive midfielder.

Club career

Early years

Born in Lagos, Sunny began his career in Nigeria with FC Ebedei and Jegede Babes. In 2003, he participated in two youth championships in Sweden and Spain: in the latter he appeared in Madrid's third edition of the Annual Immigrants World Cup, where he impressed so much he was given a five-year-contract with Polideportivo Ejido, in the second division.[1]

Valencia

Sunny became a regular player for the Andalusia side, making 63 league appearances between 2005 and 2007 and signing for Valencia CF in the summer, but after one season where he was scarcely used, he was loaned to fellow La Liga outfit CA Osasuna. In late January 2009 he was linked with a move to England's Portsmouth, but the deal eventually collapsed due to financial complications.[2]

On 30 June 2009, after a season which was marred by injury, Sunny was loaned to Real Betis in a season-long deal, with a view to a four-year permanent move. He also appeared rarely during the second level campaign as the Verdiblancos failed to return to the top division (seven matches out of 42).

In July 2010 Sunny had a trial in England with newly promoted Premier League side Blackpool, playing in a pre-season friendly against Crewe Alexandra on 27 July,[3] and then four days later, against Bristol City, but nothing came of it.

Numancia

Sunny spent the first months of the new campaign training on his own, having been deemed surplus to requirements by Valencia manager Unai Emery. On 19 January 2011 he was again loaned, moving to CD Numancia in the second level.[4]

In the following two years, still in the category and already as a permanent signing,[5] Sunny was first-choice for the Soria side.[6] On 11 May 2011 he scored his first goal as a senior, netting the 2–1 winner away against Albacete Balompié.[7]

Bnei Sakhnin / CSKA Sofia

On 30 July 2013, Sunny signed a two-year contract with Israeli club Bnei Sakhnin FC.[8] On 3 January of the following year he moved teams and countries again, joining Bulgaria's PFC CSKA Sofia after penning a two-and-a-half-year deal.[9]

International career

Sunday (middle) playing at the 2007 U-20 World Cup against Uruguay.

Although born in Nigeria, Sunday was eligible to play for Spain under FIFA rules, which allowed players with dual nationality to change their international allegiance before the age of 21, had they still not won their first full cap. After first appearing for the under-19 side, he was called up by his adopted nation to the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada,[10] playing in four games as Spain exited in the quarterfinals.

In September 2010, Sunny was called up for Nigeria's 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Guinea,[11] and made his debut in the game as a starter as the Super Eagles lost it 0–1.

Honours

Valencia

References

  1. ↑ Oluwashina Okeleji (20 March 2007). "Stephen's Latin love". BBC Sport. Retrieved 7 April 2009.
  2. ↑ "Sunny no-go for Pompey". Sky Sports. 28 January 2009. Retrieved 7 April 2009.
  3. ↑ "Valencia star joins Blackpool for trial". Blackpool Gazette. 28 July 2010. Retrieved 28 July 2010.
  4. ↑ "El Numancia se refuerza con los cedidos Ion Vélez y Sunny" [Numancia bolsters with loaned Ion Vélez and Sunny] (in Spanish). Marca. 19 January 2011. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  5. ↑ "Mercado: Sunny se desvincula del Valencia y el Numancia le ficha como agente libre" [Market: Sunny cuts ties with Valencia and Numancia signs him as a free agent] (in Spanish). Goal.com. 14 July 2011. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  6. ↑ "Sunny, titular para la 'vendetta' de Alcorcón" [Sunny, starter for Alcorcón 'vendetta'] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 21 January 2012. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  7. ↑ "1–2. El Albacete desciende tras caer ante el Numancia" [1–2. Albacete relegated after falling to Numancia] (in Spanish). ABC. 11 May 2011. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  8. ↑ Presenting: the 2013/14 Israeli Premier League; Maccabi's official website, 19 August 2013
  9. ↑ "Съни вече е футболист на ЦСКА, подписа за 2,5 години" (in Bulgarian). Gong.bg. 3 January 2014. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
  10. ↑ "Empieza la sucesión de Messi" [Messi's succession begins] (in Spanish). El Mundo Deportivo. 30 June 2007. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  11. ↑ Taye Taiwo gets Nigeria recall, Danny Shittu dropped; Kickoff, 29 September 2010

External links