Olivier_Occean

Olivier Occéan

Olivier Occéan

Canadian soccer player

Olivier Occéan (IPA: [ɔlivˈjeː ɔkseˈã]), born October 23, 1981) is a retired Canadian professional soccer player and current assistant coach of IF Urædd.

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Club career

College soccer

Occéan played college soccer at Essex County College, Newark NJ in NJCAA Division 1 and at Southern Connecticut State University for the Fighting Owls in the NCAA Division II, from 2001 to 2003. While at the college, Occéan was twice named an NCAA All-American. He finished his career with 57 goals, including 21 as a senior, and 22 in 2001. During this time he also played for Vermont Voltage in the USL Premier Development League.

Upon graduating from college, Occéan was selected 26th overall in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft by the MetroStars. Occéan didn't surprise many after coming from a powerhouse Division II program, which had won six NCAA titles, and looked likely to make the team. However, Occéan did surprise when, while the MetroStars were playing in the preseason La Manga Cup, Occéan impressed the Metrostars' competitors Odd Grenland so much that the team immediately offered him a contract. With Major League Soccer not willing to compete financially with the Norwegian club, Occéan ended up with Odd.

Odd

Occéan quickly impressed in Norway, earning a starting spot and immediately scoring goals. In his first season with Odd, Occéan led the team in goals with 14, although the team slumped to a mid-table finish.

Lillestrøm SK

Occéan with Lillestrøm

He signed a five-year contract with Lillestrøm on December 10, 2005. The deal was worth approximately €885,000 plus about €126,000 in possible incentive pay. After a promising start however, his first season with the club was marred by a five-month goal-drought broken only in the very last match of the season. Occéan then faced the challenge of living up to the price tag and in the 2007 and 2008 seasons, the muscular striker bagged in 12 goals for the club.

Kickers Offenbach

Prior to the start of the 2010–11 season, Occean moved to Germany, joining 3. Liga side Kickers Offenbach[2] on a free transfer. He got off to a perfect start, netting four goals in his first three league appearances,[3] thus becoming an instant favorite with Kickers fans. In his only season at the club, he scored 16 goals in 30 matches.[4]

Greuther Fürth

It was announced in the German media on May 25, 2011 that Occéan had signed a three-year contract with SpVgg Greuther Fürth until June 2014. Occéan made his debut for his new team on July 15 in a 3–2 home defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt. One week later, Occéan once again started for SpVgg Fürth and scored two goals leading the team to a 4–0 road victory over 1. FC Union Berlin.[5] Occéan scored one of the most important goals of the season in the DFB-Pokal quarter finals, scoring the game winner in the 44th minute against Hoffenheim on February 8, 2012.[6] On March 1, 2012 he was named the Canada Soccer Player of the Month for February based on his club team performances,[7] and again for the month of March.[8] Occéan helped lead Greuther Fürth to win the 2. Bundesliga championship. He was also awarded the league's top scorer with 17 goals in 30 appearances, Nick Proschwitz and Alexander Meier scored the same number of goals within the league, however Occéan tallied more assists.[9]

Eintracht Frankfurt

On July 3, 2012, Occéan transferred to Eintracht Frankfurt for €1.3 million signing a three-year contract, where he would be joining fellow Canadian Rob Friend.[10] Occéan made his top flight debut for Frankfurt on August 25 playing all 90 minutes in a 2–1 away victory over Bayer Leverkusen.[11] On September 15, 2012, Occéan scored his first Bundesliga goal in his third appearance for the club. He scored the second goal in an eventual 3–2 victory against Hamburger SV.[12]

1. FC Kaiserslautern

It was announced on July 1, 2013 that Occéan was loaned to 1. FC Kaiserslautern of the 2. Bundesliga on a two-year loan with an option for the loan to be extended even further after the 2012–13 season in which he scored only once for Frankfurt in 17 appearances.[13]

Second spell at Odd

On January 6, 2015, Occéan signed a half-year loan deal with his former club Odd, who plays in the Norwegian Eliteserien.[14] On July 8, 2015, Occéan signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with Odd.[15]

Urædd Fotball

In 2018, Occéan signed with Urædd Fotball of the 3. divisjon.[16] Occéan concurrently also began his coaching career as a youth coach at Urædd.[17]

After two seasons at Mjøndalen, he returned to Urædd Fotball for the 2020 season as a playing assistant coach.[18] He ended his player career at the end of 2020 and continued at Urædd in his role as an assistant coach for the team and youth coach.

International career

Occéan made his debut for Canada in a May 2004 friendly match against Wales and until the end of 2012 he has earned a total of 28 caps, scoring six goals. He has represented Canada in 15 FIFA World Cup qualification matches (four goals) and at the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup.[19] He scored Canada's first and only goal from a header in a 1–0 win against Cuba in Havana, during the opening match of the semi-final round of 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification.[20] On February 11, 2013 FIFA ruled that Occéan had committed an act of unsporting conduct, displayed several acts of unsporting behavior, and used offensive language towards match officials during a 2014 World Cup qualifying match against Cuba on October 12, 2012. As part of the ruling, Occéan received a 6-match suspension.[21] It was later determined that only Canada's official competitive matches, not friendlies, count toward the suspension meaning that the earliest that Occéan would be available for selection would be the final of the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup, if Canada were to advance that far in the tournament.[22]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played November 24, 2019[23]
More information Club, Season ...

International goals

Scores and results list Canada's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Occéan goal.
More information No., Date ...

Honours

Lillestrøm SK

Greuther Fürth

Individual

References

  1. [1]
    Olivier Occéan at the Canadian Soccer Association. Retrieved September 15, 2020.
  2. [2]
    "Olivier Occean stürmt für Kickers Offenbach" (in German). fnp.de. June 24, 2010. Archived from the original on March 2, 2012. Retrieved August 21, 2010.
  3. [3]
    "Wolf kündigt Straftraining an" (in German). kicker.de. August 5, 2008. Retrieved August 21, 2010.
  4. [4]
    Arnhold, Matthias (January 13, 2022). "Olivier Occéan - Matches and Goals in Bundesliga". RSSSF.com. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  5. [5]
    "Union Berlin 0 – 4 SpVgg Fürth". ESPN Soccernet. July 23, 2011. Retrieved January 4, 2012.
  6. [6]
    "DFB-Pokal 2012 Quarterfinals: 'Gladbach Advance, But Hoffenheim Stunned". SB Nation. February 8, 2012. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  7. [7]
    "February 2012: Occean, Wilkinson named Canada Soccer Players of the Month". Canada Soccer. March 1, 2012. Retrieved April 4, 2012.
  8. [8]
    "March 2012: Occean, Schmidt named Canada Soccer Players of the Month". Canada Soccer. April 3, 2012. Retrieved April 4, 2012.
  9. [9]
    "Canadian Occean helps Greuther Fürth to Bundesliga". Goal.com. April 20, 2012. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
  10. [10]
    "Occean und Inui fix bei der Eintracht". kicker. Retrieved July 3, 2012.
  11. [11]
    "Eintracht Frankfurt Vs. Bayer Leverkusen, 2012 Bundesliga: Frankfurt Return To Bundesliga With Big Win". SB Nation. Retrieved August 26, 2012.
  12. [12]
    Sabetti, Nick. "Olivier Occean scores first goal in Bundesliga". Goal.com. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
  13. [13]
    "OCCEAN JOINS KAISERSLAUTERN ON LOAN". bundesliga.de/en. Archived from the original on July 5, 2013. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
  14. [14]
    "Olivier Occean tilbake i Odd" [Olivier Occean back at Odd]. www.odd.no (in Norwegian). Odds Ballklubb. January 6, 2015. Archived from the original on January 6, 2015. Retrieved January 6, 2015.
  15. [15]
    "Olivier Occean ut 2017" [Olivier Occean out 2017]. www.odd.no (in Norwegian). Odds BK. July 8, 2015. Archived from the original on July 14, 2015. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
  16. [16]
    Høviskeland, Kjell Arne (February 3, 2018). "Olivier Occean er klar for 3.divisjonsklubben Urædd Fotball". Fotballnerd.no (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved February 3, 2018.
  17. [17]
    Toppspillere blir trenere, pd.no, 4 February 2018
  18. [18]
    Bent Strand blir ny Urædd-trener – får med seg Occean, pd.no, 19 December 2020
  19. [19]
    "Gold Cup 2005 Canada Squad". Terra Sports. Archived from the original on July 28, 2012. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
  20. [20]
    Day, Gavin. "Recap: Occean's goal leads 10-men Canada past Cuba". MLS Soccer. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
  21. [21]
    "Canadian receives six-match suspension". FIFA. Archived from the original on February 15, 2013. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
  22. [22]
    Sandor, Steven. "Occean suspension must be served over "official" matches, not friendlies: FIFA". the11.ca. Archived from the original on August 25, 2013. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
  23. [23]
    "Olivier Occéan". altomfotball.no (in Norwegian). TV 2. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
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