Sasa Ognenovski

Sasa Ognenovski (Macedonian: Саша Огненовски, romanized: Saša Ognenovski; born 3 April 1979) is an Australian soccer player who played as a central defender, who played for the Australia national team on 22 occasions, and who last played for Sydney FC in the A-League.[2] He is currently the assistant coach of the NPL Victoria 2 team Preston Lions.

Sasa Ognenovski
Ognenovski in 2012
Personal information
Full name Sasa Ognenovski[1]
Date of birth (1979-04-03) 3 April 1979[1]
Place of birth Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Height 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)[1]
Position(s) Centre back
Team information
Current team
 Preston Lions (assistant coach)
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)
2017–2018 Preston Lions 2 (0)
2022- Preston Lions 6 (0)
International career‡
2010–2013 Australia 22 (1)
Managerial career
2019–2020 Dandenong City (assistant)
2020–2021 Dandenong City
2022– Preston Lions (assistant) & (technical director)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20 August 2022
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 9 December 2013

In 2010, he was named Asian Footballer of the Year,[3] 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. Alongside Robert Cornthwaite and Eli Babalj, Ognenovski, at 1.95 m, is the joint third tallest player to have played for the Australia national soccer team, behind Zeljko Kalac (2.02 m) and Harry Souttar (1.98 m).[4]

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[5] on 22 November 2008 scoring the opening goal, his first for Adelaide, in the 2–0 win at Hindmarsh Stadium.[6] 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.[7]

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[8] 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.[9]

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".[10]

Ognenovski was voted the second best Macedonian footballer of 2008, behind Inter Milan's Goran Pandev.[11] 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.[12][13]

On 7 July 2012, Ognenovski moved to Umm-Salal Sports Club in the Qatar Stars League after an outstanding three-year spell at Seongnam.[14] Ognenovski made his debut for Umm-Salal Sports Club on 21 October 2012 in the 1–1 away draw to Al Kharitiyath.[15][16]

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.[2] 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 Vítor Saba in the head.[17]

Ognenovski was released by Sydney on 3 June 2015.[18]

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.[19][20]

After dashing his hopes for playing for Australia under former coach Pim Verbeek, new Socceroos manager Holger Osieck called him up for a friendly against Egypt in Cairo, Egypt,[21][22] 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.

Managers career

He is first coaching of the NPL Victoria team Dandenong City.[23]

Honours

Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma

International

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 1997–98 251251
1998–99 303303
1999–2000 344344
Total 888----888
Melbourne Knights 2000–01 230230
2001–02 28280
Total 510----510
Panachaiki 2002–03 202040
Total 2020--40
Preston Lions 2003–04 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 61000061
2014–15 62100072
Total 1231000133
Total 35833413272 41638

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

References
  1. "FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2008 Presented By TOYOTA — List Of Players" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 5 December 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 December 2008.
  2. "Brosque to skipper Sydney". Australian FourFourTwo. 3 March 2016. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  3. "Ognenovski crowned AFC player of the year". FIFA. 24 November 2010. Archived from the original on 7 December 2010. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  4. Smithies, Tom. "World Cup qualifiers: Harry Souttar poised to become second-tallest Socceroo in clash against Kuwait". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 8 September 2019.
  5. "Ognenovski set to play 50 in Hyundai A-League". Adelaide United. 20 November 2008. Retrieved 2 January 2009.
  6. Wilson, Marcus (22 November 2008). "Reds win well". A-League. Archived from the original on 6 July 2007. Retrieved 2 January 2009.
  7. "Adelaide snatches last minute equaliser against Jets". Adelaide United. 30 November 2008. Retrieved 2 January 2009.
  8. Migliaccio, Val (2 January 2009). "Ognenovski livid as Reds block his transfer". AdelaideNow. Retrieved 2 January 2009.
  9. Migliaccio, Val (3 January 2009). "Two K-League clubs battle for Sasa Ognenovski's signature". Fox Sport. Retrieved 4 January 2009.
  10. "Ognenovski wants to make most of final season with Reds". Adelaide United. 13 January 2009. Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 14 January 2009.
  11. "Sasa's The Pride of Macedonia". Australian FourFourTwo. 2 January 2009. Archived from the original on 24 August 2013. Retrieved 2 January 2009.
  12. "Seongnam skipper Sasa scoops MVP award". Asian Football Confederation. 13 November 2010. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
  13. "Ognenovski caps dream week". The World Game. Special Broadcasting Service. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  14. "Umm Salal seal Ognenovski deal". official website. Qatar Stars League. 7 July 2012. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 7 July 2012.
  15. "S. Ognenovski". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  16. "Al Kharitiyath vs. Umm Salal - 20 October 2012". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  17. "A Leagues - KEEPUP".
  18. Hassett, Sebastian (3 June 2015). "All change at Sydney FC as Graham Arnold dumps key players and lose Bernie Ibini". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  19. Football Federation of Macedonia (in Macedonian)
  20. MacedonianFootball.com (in English)
  21. Taylor, John (9 November 2010). "Socceroos coach Holger Osieck calls up Sasa Ognenovski". Herald Sun. Retrieved 9 November 2010.
  22. Barton, Joe (9 November 2010). "'Scary' Sasa finally gets Australian call". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 9 November 2010.
  23. Jacob Windon (17 September 2019). "Dandenong City appoint Ognenovski as head coach". Football Federation Australia. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
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