Olivier Occean
Encyclopedia
Olivier Occean is a Canadian footballer player who currently plays for SpVgg Greuther Fürth
in the 2. Fußball-Bundesliga
.
at Southern Connecticut State University
in the NCAA Division II, from 2001 to 2003. While at the college, Occean 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, Occean was selected 26th overall in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft
by the MetroStars
. Occean surprised many by coming from an unheralded Division II program and impressing, and looked likely to make the team. However, Occean surprised even more when, while the MetroStars were playing in the preseason La Manga Cup
, Occean 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, Occean ended up with Odd.
, Occean moved to Germany
, joining 3rd Liga
side Kickers Offenbach
on a free transfer. He got off to a perfect start, netting four goals in his first three league appearances, thus becoming an instant favorite with Kickers fans.
until June 2014. Occean made his debut for his newly signed team on July 15th in a 3-2 home defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt
. One week later Occean once again started for SpVgg Fürth and scored 2 goals leading the team to a 4-0 road victory over 1. FC Union Berlin
.
in a May 2004 friendly match against Wales
and, by late February 2011, has earned a total of 19 caps, scoring two goals. He has represented Canada in seven FIFA World Cup qualification
matches and at the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup
.
SpVgg Greuther Fürth
SpVgg Greuther Fürth is a German association football club based in Fürth, Bavaria. The club was formed when the senior football side of newcomer Turn- und Sportverein Vestenbergsgreuth joined traditional club Spielvereinigung Fürth on 1 July 1996...
in the 2. Fußball-Bundesliga
2. Fußball-Bundesliga
- Changes in division set-up :* Number of clubs: currently 18. From 1974 to 1981 there were two conferences, each of 20 teams. In 1981–91 it had 20...
.
College soccer
Occean played college soccerCollege soccer
College soccer is a term used to describe association football played by teams who are operated by colleges and universities as opposed to a professional league operated for exclusively financial purposes...
at Southern Connecticut State University
Southern Connecticut State University
Southern Connecticut State University is one of four state universities in Connecticut, and is located in the West Rock neighborhood of New Haven, Connecticut...
in the NCAA Division II, from 2001 to 2003. While at the college, Occean 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
Vermont Voltage
Vermont Voltage is an American soccer team based in St. Albans, Vermont, United States. Founded in 1997, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference, having spent the 2009 season on...
in the USL Premier Development League
USL Premier Development League
The USL Premier Development League is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid...
.
Upon graduating from college, Occean was selected 26th overall in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft
2004 MLS SuperDraft
The 2004 MLS SuperDraft, held in Charlotte, North Carolina on January 16, 2004, was the fifth incarnation of the annual Major League Soccer SuperDraft, and was most notable for the selection of one of the youngest athletes in American sporting history, Freddy Adu, with the first pick.-Player...
by the MetroStars
Metrostars
Metrostar may refer to:*New York Red Bulls, formerly called the "MetroStars", a soccer team from New York*Manila Metro Rail Transit System, popularly called "The Metrostar Express", a part of the metropolitan rail system in Manila...
. Occean surprised many by coming from an unheralded Division II program and impressing, and looked likely to make the team. However, Occean surprised even more when, while the MetroStars were playing in the preseason La Manga Cup
La Manga Cup
La Manga Cup is a winter football tournament played in La Manga del Mar Menor . Usual participants are clubs from countries with a summer football season: Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Russia, Ukraine, and the United States and Canada. The first cup was played in 1999 which was won by Rosenborg...
, Occean impressed the Metrostars' competitors Odd Grenland so much that the team immediately offered him a contract. With Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
not willing to compete financially with the Norwegian club, Occean ended up with Odd.
Odd Grenland
Occean immediately impressed in Norway, earning a starting spot and immediately scoring goals. In his first season with Odd Grenland, Occean led the team in goals with 14, although the team slumped to a mid-table finish.Lillestrøm
He signed a five-year contract with Lillestrøm on 10 December 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. Occean 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.Offenbach
Prior to the start of the 2010–11 season2010–11 3rd Liga
The 2010–11 3rd Liga was the third season of the 3rd Liga, Germany's third tier of its football league system. The season commenced on the weekend of 23 July 2010 and ended with the last games on 14 May 2011...
, Occean moved to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, joining 3rd Liga
3rd Liga
The 3rd Liga is the third division of football in Germany. The league started with the beginning of the 2008–09 season, when it replaced the Regionalliga as the third tier football league in Germany. In the German football league system, it is positioned between the 2...
side Kickers Offenbach
Kickers Offenbach
Kickers Offenbach is a German association football club in Offenbach am Main, Hesse. The club was founded on 27 May 1901 in the Rheinischer Hof restaurant by footballers who had left established local clubs including Melitia, Teutonia, Viktoria, Germania and Neptun...
on a free transfer. He got off to a perfect start, netting four goals in his first three league appearances, thus becoming an instant favorite with Kickers fans.
SpVgg Greuther Fürth
It was announced in the German media on 25 May 2011 that Olivier had signed a three-year contract with SpVgg Greuther FürthSpVgg Greuther Fürth
SpVgg Greuther Fürth is a German association football club based in Fürth, Bavaria. The club was formed when the senior football side of newcomer Turn- und Sportverein Vestenbergsgreuth joined traditional club Spielvereinigung Fürth on 1 July 1996...
until June 2014. Occean made his debut for his newly signed team on July 15th in a 3-2 home defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt is a German sports club, based in Frankfurt, Hesse that is best known for its association football club.- Club origins :...
. One week later Occean once again started for SpVgg Fürth and scored 2 goals leading the team to a 4-0 road victory over 1. FC Union Berlin
1. FC Union Berlin
1. FC Union Berlin is a German association football club based in Berlin. It is one of two sides in the city bearing the name Union that emerged during the Cold War and played in East Germany, while the other played in the west. The club currently plays in the 2. Fußball-Bundesliga.-Foundation to...
.
International career
He made his debut for CanadaCanada men's national soccer team
The Canada men's national soccer team represents Canada in international soccer competitions at the senior men's level. They are overseen by the Canadian Soccer Association and compete in the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football .Their most significant...
in a May 2004 friendly match against Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
and, by late February 2011, has earned a total of 19 caps, scoring two goals. He has represented Canada in seven FIFA World Cup qualification
FIFA World Cup qualification
The FIFA World Cup qualification is the process that a national association football team goes through to qualify for the FIFA World Cup Finals. The FIFA World Cup is a global event, so qualification is required to reduce the large field of participants from about 200 to 32.Qualifying tournaments...
matches and at the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup
2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup
The 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup was the eighth edition of the Gold Cup, the football championship of North America, Central America and the Caribbean . It was contested in the United States in July 2005. The United States emerged victorious in the final against an upstart Panama team led by tournament...
.
International goals
- Scores and results list Canada's goal tally first.
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition 1 9 February 2005 Windsor Park Windsor ParkWindsor Park is a football stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland and the home ground of Linfield F.C. and the Northern Ireland national football team. It is also where the Irish Cup and Irish League Cup finals are played.-History:...
, BelfastBelfastBelfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, Northern IrelandNorthern IrelandNorthern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
1–0 1–0 Friendly match 2 22 August 2007 Laugardalsvöllur LaugardalsvöllurLaugardalsvöllur is the national stadium of Iceland. It is located in Reykjavík, and seats 9,800 individuals, another 5,627 people can be seated on concrete benches, but due to FIFA restrictions they are rarely used.-Overview:...
, ReykjavikReykjavíkReykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
, IcelandIcelandIceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
1–1 1–1 Friendly match 3 7 October 2011 Beausejour Stadium Beausejour StadiumBeausejour Stadium is a cricket ground located near Gros Islet, Saint Lucia. It was completed in 2002 and currently accommodates 13,000 spectators...
, Gros IsletGros IsletGros Islet is a community located near the northern tip of the island country of Saint Lucia. Originally a quiet fishing village, it has gone on to become one of the more popular tourist destinations in the country....
, Saint LuciaSaint LuciaSaint Lucia is an island country in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. Part of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent, northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique. It covers a land area of 620 km2 and has an...
3–0 7–0 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification 2014 FIFA World Cup qualificationThe 2014 FIFA World Cup will feature 32 teams. One place was allocated to the hosts, , but no automatic place is given to the defending champions, . The remaining 31 places will be determined by a qualification process, in which entrants from among the other 207 teams from the six FIFA...4 7 October 2011 Beausejour Stadium Beausejour StadiumBeausejour Stadium is a cricket ground located near Gros Islet, Saint Lucia. It was completed in 2002 and currently accommodates 13,000 spectators...
, Gros IsletGros IsletGros Islet is a community located near the northern tip of the island country of Saint Lucia. Originally a quiet fishing village, it has gone on to become one of the more popular tourist destinations in the country....
, Saint LuciaSaint LuciaSaint Lucia is an island country in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. Part of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent, northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique. It covers a land area of 620 km2 and has an...
5–0 7–0 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification 2014 FIFA World Cup qualificationThe 2014 FIFA World Cup will feature 32 teams. One place was allocated to the hosts, , but no automatic place is given to the defending champions, . The remaining 31 places will be determined by a qualification process, in which entrants from among the other 207 teams from the six FIFA...5 15 November 2011 BMO Field BMO FieldBMO Field is a Canadian soccer stadium located in Exhibition Place in the city of Toronto. The open-air structure can seat up to 21,800 spectators, depending on seating configurations. It is owned by the City of Toronto, and managed by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd...
, TorontoTorontoToronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
1–0 4-0 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification 2014 FIFA World Cup qualificationThe 2014 FIFA World Cup will feature 32 teams. One place was allocated to the hosts, , but no automatic place is given to the defending champions, . The remaining 31 places will be determined by a qualification process, in which entrants from among the other 207 teams from the six FIFA...
Norway
Lillestrøm SK- Norwegian CupNorwegian football cupThe Norwegian Football Cup is the main knockout cup competition in Norwegian football. It is run by the Football Association of Norway and has been contested since 1902, making it the oldest football tournament in the country. The tournament is commonly known as Cupen or NM, an acronym formed...
: 2007