- Paul Okon
Football player infobox
playername = Paul Okon
fullname = Paul Michael Okon
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1972|4|5|df=y
cityofbirth =Sydney
countryofbirth =Australia
height = height|m=1.77
currentclub =
clubnumber =
position = Central Midfielder, Centre Back
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1989-1991
1991-1996
1996-1999
1999-2000
2000-2002
2002
2003
2003-2004
2004-2005
2005-2006
2006-2007
clubs =Marconi Stallions
Club Brugge
Lazio
Fiorentina
Middlesbrough
→ Watford "(loan)"
Leeds United
Vicenza
OostendeAPOEL FC
Newcastle Jets
caps(goals) = 49 (4)
72 (1)
19 (0)
11 (0)
28 (0)
15 (0)
21 (0)
11 (0)
33 (0)
09 (0)
17 (0)
nationalyears = 1991
1992
1991-2003
nationalteam = flagicon|Australia Australia U-20
flagicon|Australia Australia U-23
flagicon|Australia Australia
nationalcaps(goals) =
29 (0)
manageryears = 2009-
managerclubs =Gold Coast United FC "(Asst.)"
pcupdate =28 July 2007
ntupdate =21 June 2007 Paul Okon (born
5 April 1972 inSydney ) is a formerAustralian football (soccer) player who retired after playing withAustralia n sideNewcastle United Jets .He previously captained the Australian National Team and has represented Australia Olympic Football Team at the
1992 Summer Olympics inBarcelona . Okon's career began atMarconi Stallions in the old NSL inAustralia . He then went on to play at many European clubs includingS.S. Lazio and Fiorentina inItaly 'sSerie A ,Vicenza Calcio inSerie B ,Middlesbrough F.C. andLeeds United F.C. in the English Premiership,Club Brugge ,K.V. Oostende in Belgium'sJupiler League andAPOEL FC in theCypriot First Division .It has been recently announced that Paul will be the interim coach of NSW Premier League giant
APIA Leichhardt Tigers in season 2009.Club career
Okon grew up in the
Sydney suburb ofBossley Park . He is of German and Italian descent. He represented his high school,Patrician Brothers' College, Fairfield during his time as a teenage schoolboy and featured prominently in all teams including the A Grade squad. However, his abilities did not stop at the football pitch. He set the record for high jump at the College's annual Athletics Carnival in the under 16s age group which was not broken until 2004.He signed with
A-League club Newcastle United Jets for the 2006-07 season. Okon fit into a well constructed Jets side and helped then make the playoffs in 2007. Due to injury concerns, Okon decided to retire from professional football in June 2007.Okon is back [http://www.westryderovers.asn.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=74&Itemid=26 playing in 2008] for amateur team West Ryde Rovers's Over 35 Division 1 team in the [http://www.ghfa.com.au/ GHFA] .
He is also slated to play in the Zidane match (Zidane's XI Vs. Australia '97) on 1 June 2008
Trivia
Okon was a childhood friend of Italian striker
Christian Vieri , who grew up in Australia. They both later played together atS.S. Lazio in 1998/1999.Paul Okon now plays for the West Ryde Rovers Over 35's division 1.
He had a relationship with Belgian model
Phaedra Hoste when he played atClub Brugge .Honours
With Australia:
*OFC Nations Cup : 2000WithClub Brugge :
*Belgian League Championship: 1995-1996
*Belgian Cup : 1994-1995, 1995-1996Personal Honours:
*Belgian Golden Shoe : 1995-1996
* NSL Papasavas Medal (U-21): 1989-1990, 1990-1991
*Oceania Footballer of the Year : 1996External links
* [http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Players/O/OB.html Oz Football profile]
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