Olivier Occéan

Olivier Occéan (IPA: [ɔlivˈjeː ɔkseˈã]), born October 23, 1981) is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays for Mjøndalen in the Norwegian Eliteserien.

Olivier Occéan
Occéan with Greuther Fürth in 2012
Personal information
Full name Olivier Occéan
Date of birth (1981-10-23) October 23, 1981
Place of birth Brossard, Quebec, Canada
Height 185 cm (6 ft 1 in)[1]
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
1998–2000 Longueuil Select Rive-Sud
2000 Essex County College
2001–2003 SCSU Fighting Owls
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2002–2003 Vermont Voltage 30 (19)
2004–2006 Odd 46 (22)
2006–2010 Lillestrøm SK 91 (33)
2010–2011 Kickers Offenbach 30 (16)
2011–2012 Greuther Fürth 33 (17)
2012–2015 Eintracht Frankfurt 18 (1)
2013–2014 → 1. FC Kaiserslautern (loan) 27 (3)
2015 → Odd (loan) 17 (7)
2015–2017 Odd 62 (20)
2018 Urædd 8 (9)
2018– Mjøndalen 38 (11)
National team‡
2004–2012 Canada 28 (6)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of January 1, 2020
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of June 6, 2016

Club career

College soccer

Occéan played college soccer at Essex County College, Newark NJ in NJCAA Division 1 and at Southern Connecticut State University 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.

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.[4] 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.[5] On March 1, 2012 he was named the Canada Soccer Player of the Month for February based on his club team performances,[6] and again for the month of March.[7] 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.[8]

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.[9] Occéan made his top flight debut for Frankfurt on August 25 playing all 90 minutes in a 2–1 away victory over Bayer Leverkusen.[10] 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.[11]

1. FC Kaiserslautern

It was announced on July 1, 2013 that Occéan was loaned to 1. FC Kaiserslautern of the 2. Bundesliga on a 2-year loan with an option for the loan to be extended even further after the 2012/2013 season in which he scored only once for Frankfurt in 17 appearances.[12]

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 Tippeligaen.[13] On July 8, 2015, Occéan signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with Odd.[14]

Urædd Fotball

In 2018, Occéan signed with Urædd Fotball of the 3. divisjon.[15]

International career

Occéan made his debut for Canada in a May 2004 friendly match against Wales and as of June 2012 he has earned a total of 25 caps, scoring six goals. He has represented Canada in seven FIFA World Cup qualification matches[16] and at the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup.[17] 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.[18] 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.[19] 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.[20]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played November 24, 2019[21]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Odd 2004 Tippeligaen 24141043–2917
2005 22833––2511
Total 46224343005428
Lillestrøm 2006 Tippeligaen 23734––2611
2007 25127321–3416
2008 26111221–2914
2009 14220––162
2010 3121––52
Total 91331510420011045
Kickers Offenbach 2010–11 3. Liga 301630––3316
Greuther Fürth 2011–12 2. Bundesliga 331752––3819
Eintracht Frankfurt 2012–13 Bundesliga 18110––191
1. FC Kaiserslautern (loan) 2013–14 2. Bundesliga 27343––316
Odd (loan) 2015 Tippeligaen 1770000–177
Odd 2015 1082184–2013
2016 28101021–3111
2017 Eliteserien 2422061–323
Total 7927511660010034
Urædd 2018 Norsk Tipping-ligaen 8910––99
Mjøndalen 2018 OBOS-ligaen 14500––145
2019 Eliteserien 24610––256
Total 38111000003911
Career total 3701373919241100433169

International goals
Scores and results list Canada's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Occéan goal.
List of international goals scored by Olivier Occéan
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1February 9, 2005Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland Northern Ireland1–01–0Friendly
2August 22, 2007Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland Iceland1–11–1Friendly
3October 7, 2011Beausejour Stadium, Gros Islet, Saint Lucia Saint Lucia3–07–02014 FIFA World Cup qualification
45–0
5November 15, 2011BMO Field, Toronto, Canada Saint Kitts and Nevis1–04–02014 FIFA World Cup qualification
6June 8, 2012Estadio Pedro Marrero, Havana, Cuba Cuba1–01–02014 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

Club

Lillestrøm SK

Greuther Fürth

Individual

References
  1. Olivier Occéan at the Canadian Soccer Association (also available in French). Retrieved September 15, 2020.
  2. "Olivier Occean stürmt für Kickers Offenbach" (in German). fnp.de. June 24, 2010. Archived from the original on January 17, 2013. Retrieved August 21, 2010.
  3. "Wolf kündigt Straftraining an" (in German). kicker.de. August 5, 2008. Retrieved August 21, 2010.
  4. "Union Berlin 0 – 4 SpVgg Fürth". ESPN Soccernet. July 23, 2011. Retrieved January 4, 2012.
  5. "DFB-Pokal 2012 Quarterfinals: 'Gladbach Advance, But Hoffenheim Stunned". SB Nation. February 8, 2012. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  6. "February 2012: Occean, Wilkinson named Canada Soccer Players of the Month". Canada Soccer. March 1, 2012. Retrieved April 4, 2012.
  7. "March 2012: Occean, Schmidt named Canada Soccer Players of the Month". Canada Soccer. April 3, 2012. Retrieved April 4, 2012.
  8. "Canadian Occean helps Greuther Fürth to Bundesliga". Goal.com. April 20, 2012. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
  9. "Occean und Inui fix bei der Eintracht". kicker. Retrieved July 3, 2012.
  10. "Eintracht Frankfurt Vs. Bayer Leverkusen, 2012 Bundesliga: Frankfurt Return To Bundesliga With Big Win". SB Nation. Retrieved August 26, 2012.
  11. Sabetti, Nick. "Olivier Occean scores first goal in Bundesliga". Goal.com. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
  12. "OCCEAN JOINS KAISERSLAUTERN ON LOAN". bundesliga.de/en. Archived from the original on July 5, 2013. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
  13. "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.
  14. "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.
  15. Høviskeland, Kjell Arne (February 3, 2018). "Olivier Occean er klar for 3.divisjonsklubben Urædd Fotball". Fotballnerd.no (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved February 3, 2018.
  16. Olivier Occéan – FIFA competition record
  17. "Gold Cup 2005 Canada Squad". Terra Sports. Archived from the original on July 28, 2012. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
  18. Day, Gavin. "Recap: Occean's goal leads 10-men Canada past Cuba". MLS Soccer. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
  19. "Canadian receives six-match suspension". FIFA. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
  20. 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.
  21. "Olivier Occéan". altomfotball.no (in Norwegian). TV 2. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
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