Saša Ognenovski

Saša Ognenovski

Ognenovski in 2012
Personal information
Full name Saša Ognenovski
Date of birth (1979-04-03) 3 April 1979
Place of birth Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Height 195 cm (6 ft 5 in)
Playing position Centre back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1997–2000 Preston Lions 88 (8)
2000–2002 Melbourne Knights 51 (0)
2002–2003 Panachaiki 2 (0)
2003–2004 Preston Lions 26 (5)
2005 Fawkner-Whittlesea Blues 16 (2)
2006–2008 Queensland Roar 38 (2)
2008–2009 Adelaide United 23 (3)
2009–2012 Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma 80 (9)
2012–2014 Umm-Salal 29 (1)
2014–2015 Sydney FC 16 (3)
National team‡
2010–2013 Australia 22 (1)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 2 November 2014.

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 9 December 2013

Saša Ognenovski (Macedonian: Саша Огненовски; born 3 April 1979) is an Australian football (soccer) player who plays as a central defender, who last played for Sydney FC in the A-League and the Australia national team, and is the vice captain of the former.[1] In 2010, he was named Asian Footballer of the Year,[2] won a position in the K-League Best XI, and won the AFC Champions League with Seongnam. These achievements led to his inclusion in the Australian squad for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup.

Club career

He previously played with Preston Lions in the 1997–2000 and 2003–2004 seasons, then with Melbourne Knights in the 2000–2001 and 2001–2002 seasons, and in the 2002–2003 season with Greek side Panahaiki, and then with Queensland Roar until transferring to Adelaide United FC in February 2008 to play in the Asian Champions League, starting in March 2008.

Ognenovski played his 50th A-League match against Sydney FC[3] on 22 November 2008 scoring the opening goal, his first for Adelaide, in the 2–0 win at Hindmarsh Stadium.[4] He followed this up a week later scoring a dramatic equaliser in Adelaide's 1–1 draw with Newcastle Jets heading in from another set piece.[5]

In January 2009 it was revealed that Ognenovski was a target for K-League club Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma but the initial bid of A$285,000 was rejected [6] with Adelaide asking for a transfer fee of $570,000. He was also a transfer target of another K-League side, FC Seoul, who sent officials to negotiate the fee with Adelaide.[7]

The transfer saga was resolved on Tuesday 13 January 2009 when Adelaide United revealed Ognenovski would join Seongnam at the end of the A-League 2008-09 season on a two-year deal. The defender gave a glowing tribute to the club upon the announcement saying, “I’ve met some great people, the owners Nick and Dario are probably the best people I’ve met in football so it is a tough decision but obviously I have to secure my future and look after my family so that was the main reason that I took up the offer.”[8]

Ognenovski received an accolade when he was voted the second best Macedonian footballer of 2008, behind Inter Milan's Goran Pandev.[9] In 2010, in his second season with Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma, Ognenovski captained the team to victory in the AFC Champions League. He scored the opening goal of the match as Seongnam defeated Zob Ahan 3–1 in the final. Ognenovski was named the Man of the Match and the tournament's Most Valuable Player.[10][11]

On 7 July 2012, Ognenovski moved to Umm-Salal Sports Club in the Qatar Stars League after an outstanding three-year spell at Seongnam.[12] Ognenovski made his debut for Umm-Salal Sports Club on 21 October 2012 in the 1–1 away draw to Al Kharitiyath.[13][14]

On 4 February 2014, Ognenovski moved back to the A-League to sign with Sydney FC. He scored his first goal against Newcastle Jets assisted by Italian marquee Alessandro Del Piero.

On 8 October 2014, Ogenovski, along with Nikola Petković were appointed Sydney FC's vice-captains for 2014[15] His first goal for the 2014–15 A-league season came in Rd 2 against Western Sydney Wanderers won by Sydney 3-2. Ogenovski appeared to score a goal, but it was ruled an own goal by Romeo Castelen. However, Ogenovski was suspended following the match for striking Vitor Saba in the head.[16]

Ognenovski was released by Sydney on 3 June 2015.[17]

International career

Ognenovski was eligible to represent Australia, but after not being selected in A-League based Australian squads for Asian Cup Qualifiers against Indonesia and Kuwait, Ognenovski expressed his disappointment and put himself up for selection for the country of his heritage, Macedonia. Although not available to play for Macedonia (due to not having yet received FIFA clearance) he was called by Srečko Katanec to play for the Republic of Macedonia national football team in the match against Moldova on 11 February 2009, although he did not feature due to issues with his eligibility.[18][19]

After dashing his hopes for playing for Australia under former coach Pim Verbeek his dreams were finally answered when new Socceroos manager Holger Osieck called him up for a friendly against Egypt in Cairo, Egypt,[20][21] and he was subsequently named in the 23-man 2011 AFC Asian Cup squad. Throughout the AFC Asian cup, he started every match and developed a solid defensive partnership with Lucas Neill, and scored the second goal in Australia's 6–0 defeat of Uzbekistan in the semi-finals.

Honours

Club

Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma

Individual

Career statistics

Club statistics

As of 21 March 2014
Club Season League1 Cup2 International3 Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Preston Lions 1997–1998 251251
1998–1999 303303
1999–2000 344344
Total 888----888
Melbourne Knights 2000–2001 230230
2001–2002 28280
Total 510----510
Panachaiki 2002–2003 202040
Total 2020--40
Preston Lions 2003–2004 265265
Total 265----265
Fawkner-Whittlesea Blues 2005 162162
Total 162----162
Queensland Roar 2006–07 1705000220
2007–08 2125100263
Total 382101--483
Adelaide United 2008–09 23310110353
Total 23310110353
Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma 2009 242110--352
2010 25360112425
2011 24592--337
2012 1101050170
Total 841027216212714
Umm Salal 2012–13 18100--181
Total 1810000181
Sydney FC 2013–14 61----61
Total 61000061
Total 35231403272 40936

1 – includes A-League final series statistics; K-League playoff statistics
 2 – includes League Cup statistics
 3 – includes FIFA Club World Cup statistics; AFC Champions League statistics are included in season commencing after group stages (i.e. 2008 ACL in 2008–09 A-League season etc.)

International statistics

Australia national team
YearAppsGoals
201010
201191
Total101

References

  1. ↑ http://www.fourfourtwo.com/au/news/brosque-skipper-sydney
  2. ↑ "Ognenovski crowned AFC player of the year". FIFA. 24 November 2010. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  3. ↑ "Ognenovski set to play 50 in Hyundai A-League". Adelaide United. 2008-11-20. Retrieved 2009-01-02.
  4. ↑ Wilson, Marcus (2008-11-22). "Reds win well". A-League. Retrieved 2009-01-02.
  5. ↑ "Adelaide snatches last minute equaliser against Jets". Adelaide United. 2008-11-30. Retrieved 2009-01-02.
  6. ↑ Migliaccio, Val (2009-01-02). "Ognenovski livid as Reds block his transfer". AdelaideNow. Retrieved 2009-01-02.
  7. ↑ Migliaccio, Val (2009-01-03). "Two K-League clubs battle for Sasa Ognenovski's signature". Fox Sport. Retrieved 2009-01-04.
  8. ↑ "Ognenovski wants to make most of final season with Reds". Adelaide United. 2009-01-13. Retrieved 2009-01-14.
  9. ↑ "Sasa's The Pride Of Macedonia". FourFourTwo. 2009-01-02. Retrieved 2009-01-02.
  10. ↑ "Seongnam skipper Sasa scoops MVP award". Asian Football Confederation. 2010-11-13. Retrieved 2010-11-14.
  11. ↑ http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/news/1031827/Ognenovski-caps-dream-week
  12. ↑ "Umm Salal seal Ognenovski deal". official website. Qatar Stars League. 7 July 2012. Retrieved 7 July 2012.
  13. ↑ http://www.soccerway.com/players/sasa-ognenovski/17598/
  14. ↑ http://www.soccerway.com/matches/2012/10/20/qatar/stars-league/al-khuraitiat-sc/umm-salal-sc/1379141/
  15. ↑ http://www.fourfourtwo.com/au/news/brosque-skipper-sydney
  16. ↑ http://www.a-league.com.au/matchcentre/Sydney-FC-v-Western-Sydney-Wanderers/753795#widget-match-day-tabs
  17. ↑ Hassett, Sebastian (3 June 2015). "All change at Sydney FC as Graham Arnold dumps key players and lose Bernie Ibini". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  18. ↑ Football Federation of Macedonia (in Macedonian)
  19. ↑ MacedonianFootball.com (in English)
  20. ↑ Taylor, John (9 November 2010). "Socceroos coach Holger Osieck calls up Sasa Ognenovski". Herald Sun. Retrieved 9 November 2010.
  21. ↑ Barton, Joe (9 November 2010). "'Scary' Sasa finally gets Australian call". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 9 November 2010.
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