Ioannis Okkas

Yiannakis Okkas
Personal information
Full name Ioannis Okkas
Date of birth (1977-02-11) 11 February 1977
Place of birth Larnaca, Cyprus
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 1⁄2 in)
Playing position Deep-lying striker, left winger
Club information
Current team
 Cyprus U-17
Youth career
1993–1997 Nea Salamina
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1993–1997 Nea Salamina 53 (16)
1997–2000 Anorthosis Famagusta 72 (51)
2000–2003 PAOK 80 (28)
2003–2004 AEK Athens 24 (5)
2004–2007 Olympiacos 77 (18)
2007–2008 Celta Vigo 24 (6)
2008–2009 AC Omonia 23 (9)
2009–2014 Anorthosis Famagusta 97 (27)
2014 Ermis Aradippou 14 (2)
Total 467 (162)
National team‡
1997–2011 Cyprus 106 (27)
Teams managed
2015 Ermis Aradippou
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 7 September 2014
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 22:57, 11 October 2011

Ioannis "Giannis" Okkas (Greek: Γιάννης Οκκάς; born 11 February 1977 in Larnaca) is a retired Cypriot football striker and a football manager. He was also the captain of the Cyprus national football team for many years and he is the 2nd leading scorer of all time just behind Michalis Konstantinou, scoring in total 27 goals for Cyprus. With 106 national caps since 1997, Okkas has made more appearances for Cyprus than any other player in history.

Club career

Okkas started his career with Nea Salamina in the 1993–94 season, aged 17.[1] He scored the second goal in Anorthosis' 3–1 win against Apollon Limassol for the 1997–98 Cypriot Cup final.[2] In the summer of 1997 he transferred to Anorthosis Famagusta for a reported fee of £350,000.[1] In 2000 Okkas signed for Greek Superleague club PAOK for a reported 900 million greek drachmas fee.[1][3] In 2003 Okkas signed for AEK.[4] After being release from his AEK contract, due to the club's financial problems, Okkas signed for Olympiakos.[5] His league debut for Olympiacos was marked by Okkas' scoring the very first goal for Olympiacos, in the newly built Karaiskakis Stadium.[6]

In 2007, after trials with West Ham and Derby County, Okkas became the first Cypriot player to move to Spain, signing a contract with Celta Vigo.[7][8] In 2008, he returned to Cyprus to play for Omonia.[9] Okkas was released from Omonoia, in June 2009, after confronting manager Takis Lemonis on his playing position.[10][11] In 2009, he returned to Anorthosis, signing a three-year contract with the club.[12] After being released by Anorthosis, Ermis Aradippou became the fourth, and last, team, Okkas would play in the Cypriot First Division.[13] He debuted for Ermis, in an away defeat against APOEL.[14] In his second match for Ermis, Okkas scored twice to help the club get past ENP.[15]

International career

Okkas debuted for Cyprus on 15 February 1997 in a friendly 2–3 home loss against Poland.[16] He made his competitive debut in a match against Russia, on 29 March 1997, for the 1998 World Cup qualifying stage.[16] Four days later he scored his first goal for Cyprus in a 4–1 away defeat against Bulgaria.[16]

He scored three goals in his side's failed attempts to qualify for the 2002 World Cup, and was also on target in Euro 2004's qualifying stage, notably against France, in which Cyprus lost 1–2, but with fine displays from Okkas, including a delicate chip that left French keeper Grégory Coupet completely stranded.[17]

On 15 November 2006, Okkas netted in a surprising Euro 2008 qualifier draw with giants Germany. He started captaining the national squad since the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

On 8 October 2010, Okkas reached 100 appearances for Cyprus national football team in a 1–2 home loss against Norway, in match that he managed to score his 26th goal for Cyprus.[18]

On 11 October 2011, he played for the last time with the national side, in UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying Group H match against Norway in Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, where he scored his last goal for the Cypriot national team.[19] After fifteen full playing years as the captain for Cyprus, Okkas announced his retirement from international football on 2 March 2012.[19] At the time of his retirement Okkas wast the most capped player for Cyprus and the second all-time scorer.[20][21]

International goals

Ioannis Okkas: International goals[16][18][19]
GoalDateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
12 April 1997Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria Bulgaria3–14–11998 World Cup qualifying
25 February 1998Tsirion Stadium, Limassol, Cyprus Finland1–11–1Friendly
36 February 2000GSP Stadium, Nicosia, Cyprus Romania1–03–2Cyprus International Tournament
415 November 2000Tsirion Stadium, Limassol, Cyprus Andorra1–05–02002 World Cup qualifying
515 November 2000Tsirion Stadium, Limassol, Cyprus Andorra2–05–02002 World Cup qualifying
628 February 2001GSZ Stadium, Larnaca, Cyprus Ukraine1–14–3Cyprus International Tournament
728 March 2001Tsirion Stadium, Limassol, Cyprus Estonia2–02–22002 World Cup qualifying
814 November 2001Kesariani Stadium, Athens, Greece Greece0–11–2Friendly
97 September 2002GSP Stadium, Nicosia, Cyprus France1–01–2Euro 2004 qualifying
1020 November 2002GSP Stadium, Nicosia, Cyprus Malta2–02–1Euro 2004 qualifying
119 October 2004GSP Stadium, Nicosia, Cyprus Faroe Islands2–22–22006 World Cup qualifying
1217 November 2004GSP Stadium, Nicosia, Cyprus Israel1–11–22006 World Cup qualifying
1326 March 2005GSZ Stadium, Larnaca, Cyprus Jordan2–02–1Friendly
141 March 2006Tsirion Stadium, Limassol, Cyprus Armenia1–02–0Friendly
1511 October 2006Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales Wales3–13–1Euro 2008 qualifying
1615 November 2006GSP Stadium, Nicosia, Cyprus Germany1–11–1Euro 2008 qualifying
176 February 2007Tsirion Stadium, Limassol, Cyprus Hungary2–02–1Cyprus International Tournament
1822 August 2007Stadio Olimpico (San Marino), Serravalle, San Marino San Marino0–10–1Euro 2008 qualifying
198 September 2007Dasaki Stadium, Achna, Cyprus Armenia2–13–1Friendly
2013 October 2007GSP Stadium, Nicosia, Cyprus Wales1–13–1Euro 2008 qualifying
2113 October 2007GSP Stadium, Nicosia, Cyprus Wales2–13–1Euro 2008 qualifying
2211 February 2009Makario Stadium, Nicosia, Cyprus Slovakia3–03–2Cyprus International Tournament
239 September 2009Podgorica City Stadium, Podgorica, Montenegro Montenegro1–11–12010 World Cup qualifying
2414 October 2009Stadio Ennio Tardini, Parma, Italy Italy0–13–22010 World Cup qualifying
253 September 2010Estádio D. Afonso Henriques, Guimarães, Portugal Portugal3–34–4Euro 2012 qualifying
268 October 2010Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium, Larnaca, Cyprus Norway1–21–2Euro 2012 qualifying
2711 October 2011Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway Norway2–13–1Euro 2012 qualifying

Trivia

For two consecutive years, Okkas scored the first league goal of the season in Greece, with AEK in 2003–04 and Olympiacos the next season.

Coaching career

After retiring as a professional football player, Okkas was appointed as an assistant manager in Ermis Aradippou.[22] In March 2015 he replaced Mitchell van der Gaag as manager of Ermis Aradippou.[1][23] He was dismissed from his position at Ermis on May 11.

Honours

Anorthosis
PAOK
Olympiacos

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Pafitis, Simos (11 April 2015). "Έτοιμος από καιρό ο Οκκάς (Okkas was ready)" (in Greek). sport24.com.cy. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  2. ↑ "Κύπελλο 1997 - 1998" (in Greek). anorthosis1911.net. Archived from the original on 30 June 2011. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
  3. ↑ "Από τα ασπρόμαυρα στα ερυθρόλευκα: Οι παίκτες που έπαιξαν σε Ολυμπιακό και ΠΑΟΚ" (in Greek). contra.gr. 2 December 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  4. ↑ "Στην ΑΕΚ υπέγραψε ο Γ.Οκκάς - Συμφώνησε με την «Ένωση» και ο Β.Τσάρτας" (in Greek). in.gr. 2 July 2003. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  5. ↑ "Έμεινε ελεύθερος από την ΑΕΚ, υπέγραψε στον Ολυμπιακό ο Οκκάς" (in Greek). in.gr. 2 August 2004. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  6. ↑ "Έκλεισε 10 χρόνια ζωής το νέο "Καραϊσκάκης"" (in Greek). sport24.gr. 19 September 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  7. ↑ "Okkas on trial with Derby". SKY Sports. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  8. ↑ "Cypriot first for Okkas and Celta". UEFA.com. 6 September 2007. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  9. ↑ "Στην Ομόνοια ο Οκκάς" (in Greek). sport24.gr. 25 July 2008. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  10. ↑ "Ο Μαρσελίνιο, ο Οκκάς κι ο αδιαπραγμάτευτος Λεμονής" (in Greek). sigmalive.com. 25 June 2009. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  11. ↑ "Τέλος από την Ομόνοια ο Οκκάς" (in Greek). sport24.gr. 27 June 2009. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  12. ↑ "Υπέγραψε στην Ανόρθωση ο Οκκάς" (in Greek). sport24.gr. 22 July 2009. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  13. ↑ "Στον Ερμή ο Οκκάς". sport-fm.gr. 31 January 2014. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  14. ↑ "ΑΠΟΕΛ-Ερμής 3-0: "Τριάρα" με το γκάζι πατημένο" (in Greek). balla.com.cy. 1 February 2014. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  15. ↑ "Με ηγέτη τον Οκκά δεν «κολλάει» πουθενά!" (in Greek). Sentra Goal - Cyprus. 6 February 2014. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  16. 1 2 3 4 "Γιάννος Οκκάς: 99 συμμετοχές... 25 τέρματα (Yannis Okkas: 99 caps, 25 goals)" (in Greek). Sentra Goal Cyprus. 7 October 2011. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
  17. ↑ World Soccer review
  18. 1 2 "Οκκάς… όνομα βαρύ σαν ιστορία" (in Greek). sigmalive.com. 3 March 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  19. 1 2 3 "Cyprus striker Okkas gives up international game". UEFA.com. 2 March 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  20. ↑ "Από την "Μικτή Κύπρου" … στην Εθνική Κύπρου!!!" (in Greek). omonoia24.com. 10 October 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  21. ↑ "Ομόνοια-Ανόρθωση: Οι Διόσκουροι φορούν γαλανόλευκα" (in Greek). balla.com.cy. 19 January 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  22. ↑ "Βοηθός προπονητή ο Οκκάς" (in Greek). pamesports.gr. 8 September 2014. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  23. ↑ "Προπονητής ο Γιάννης Οκκάς! (Okkas will be appointed as manager)". sentragoal.gr. 24 March 2015. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
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