Canadians in Norway 2010

[Start fan in exile 0]

Olivier Occéan is leaving Lillestrøm and Norway for German 3rd division side Kickers Offenbach.

http://www.nrksport.no/fotball/eliteserien/1.7182975

[JamboAl 1,680]

Unfortunately, that's a step down for OO (although people like Ed and Grizzly may disagree); hopefully he'll get to play some more in Offenbach.

[nolando 1,395]

^ Well, that puts things in perspective, then. I thought he might have just dropped to a top-tier Scandinavian team in another league (Sweden?) or even a struggler in Norway. Like the Bourgeault move, it's hard to be encouraged by such a drop down tier-wise.

[Grizzly 2,792]

Unfortunately, that's a step down for OO (although people like Ed and Grizzly may disagree); hopefully he'll get to play some more in Offenbach.

I don't disagree with it being a step down and I doubt Ed would either. On the other hand going from not playing in the Norwegian top tier to playing in the German 3rd tier is in some way not a step down. It also may be a good move long term as Offenbach is a pretty big club that is frequently in the 2nd BL, is always a promotion favourite and seems to be making a lot of signings that suggest they will make a big push for promotion. Certainly the 3rd BL level is below that of the Norwegian 1st division but if he finds himself in the 2nd BL in a year's time he will be back to a similar level and in a league with a lot more visibility and chance for promotion/transfer to a higher level. It is pretty easy to get lost in Norway even in the top tier so I prefer he sign here than go to a second tier Norwegian team where the level wouldn't be better than the German 3rd tier or even the Swedish top tier (which is a good step down from the Norwegian). A bit surprised another Norwegian top tier team wouldn't take him though.

[JamboAl 1,680]

^ I think some of the other large sides in Norway are feeling a bit of the financial crisis (who isn't) and I'm not sure OO is the type of player that a smaller side would want to take on given that he's probably on a pretty good wage packet given his past record at Lillestrom.

[Grizzly 2,792]

Confirmation from Offenbach:

http://www.ofc.de/v4/index.php/component/content/article/269-top-news/2013-stuermer-olivier-occean-unterschreibt-zweijahresvertrag-bei-kickers-offenbach

It is a two year contract until June 30, 2012. Also interesting that Offenbach's new coach is Wolfgang Wolf who is a pretty prominent 1st Bundesliga coach in Germany, ie. Offenbach is pretty serious about promoting to the 2nd BL next year.

[Grizzly 2,792]

[JamboAl 1,680]

That looks like the same Wolfgang Wolf who once managed Wolfsburg. (Are you Rafa Benitez in disguise???) HA HA!

[Grizzly 2,792]

^^ Yes it is the former manager of Wolfsburg, Nuremberg and Kaiserslautern.

[CanadianSoccerFan 1,485]

Come back to play for Montreal in 2012

[nolando 1,395]

This is what I have been wondering all day after hearing the news.

[Start fan in exile 0]

Lars Hirschfeld has signed a two-year contract extention with Vålerenga.

http://www.vg.no/sport/fotball/norsk/artikkel.php?artid=10027562