Salihovic's move to Germany came around a little bit different than he may have liked. Immigrating alongside his family at just eight years old, Salihovic moved to the capital Berlin from native Bosnia just before the Bosnian War broke out in the early nineties after the break-up of former state Yugoslavia. Salihovic, now twenty-nine, is a key cog in Hoffenheim's midfield and has been since his arrival in 2006.

Salihovic started his career in the lower tiers of Germany representing both Minerva 93 Berlin and Hertha 03 Zehlendorf at youth levels until the age of sixteen. At sixteen he was snapped up by adopted home club Hertha Berlin whom he would represent at under seventeen level until he was promoted to Hertha's first team in 2004. He would spend spells in the reserve side as well as the first team. His professional debut came against Hamburg. During his tenure in the Hertha setup he made sixty-two appearances scoring twenty-two.

After very little first team action (just five of sixty-two of his appearances were for the first team), Salihovic was shipped out to 2. Liga side 1899 Hoffenheim in the summer of 2006 and still finds himself representing them to this day although in the Bundesliga and not the second tier. He was part of the Hoffenheim side that were promoted to the Bundesliga finishing behind champions Borussia Mönchengladbach the season after signing. It was also Hoffenheim's first season in professional football after being a predominantly lower league side for all of their existence. Salihovic was also voted 2. Bundesliga player of the season 07/08 by sports magazine Kicker.

This term, Salihovic has made twenty-four outings including five appearances from the bench scoring ten goals and provided goals for team mates five times. He is renowned for his dead ball speciality and all but one of his goals have came from a dead ball (two costless kicks, seven penalties and one tap in from close range.) Salihovic has been deployed in numerous positions this season by manager Markus Gisdol, left back and attacking midfielder being most common from the five different positions. Salihovic is a very well balanced all round player with strengths in lots of different areas. Apart from the obvious and aforementioned dead ball speciality, He also has strengths in the air where he has own half of his aerial duels. Furthermore, shooting from range, passing, finishing and crossing are part of a reasonably long list. Seventy-Six percent of his passes reach the intended receiver based off his average of thirty-six attempted a game.

His only real downfall is his concentration, From dead ball situations he is very concentrated but the same can't be said about other aspects such as concentration on tackling in which he has averaged under one a game.

A very reliable man, who has proven on so many occasions his importance to the team with his undeniable talent. Most notably scoring two late penalties against Borussia Dortmund on the final day of the 12/13 season which saved the club from automatic relegation and placed them in the relegation play off spot in which they were successful in staying up. He has also been ever-present in his national side Bosnia and Herzegovina since his arrival at the Rhein-Neckar-Arena.

A move away from the club looks unlikely and it looks likely that Sejad Salihovjc and his Bosnian brilliance will be staying with Hoffenheim until he hangs up his boots.

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About the author
Cammy Anderson
Calcio-editor-in-chief Email: [email protected]