Mariners’ Paul Okon happy with added experience ahead of F3 Derby
On the eve of the A-League season, coach Paul Okon details his reinvention of the Central Coast Mariners.
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PAUL Okon has achieved plenty in his career, checking off items on his list that football fans could only dream of. Playing in Europe? Check. Captaining the Socceroos? Check. Induction into the FFA Hall of Fame? Check.
The 45-year-old travelled the globe throughout his decorated club career, but it is here on the Central Coast, just 90 minutes north of his childhood bedroom, that the superstar player is forging his career as a coach.
On the eve of the season’s opening weekend, the man they call Paolo sat down to reflect on his journey so far and his team’s chances of victory in season 2017-18.
Okon was unveiled as the Mariners’ coach just six weeks out from the start of the last A-League season, inking a two-year deal with the yellow and navy.
For season 2017-18, he has enjoyed a vastly different lead-up, creating his own squad and instilling his own ethos on the team.
“It feels a lot better. I have noticed a difference having more time with the players,” he told the Express Advocate.
Central Coast has been busy over the off-season, signing 11 new players in what has been the club’s biggest ever recruitment drive.
“Being able to bring in the players that we felt would strengthen us in certain positions is what we’ve done,” Okon said.
“We’ve got a lot more experience in the team, there’s a lot more steel in there.
“We plan to be an exciting, dynamic team. We’ve got plenty of speed and some really good footballers, and we’re on our way to being more defensively hardened in certain moments of games.”
The former defender said the only thing he had ever known in life was football, and he didn’t hesitate to start down the coaching pathway after hanging up the boots.
“Towards the end (of your playing career) you start to think, ‘what is going to be the next chapter in your life?’,” Okon said.
“I was prepared to continue to make the sacrifices that you need to make as a player. (Coaching) is a tough profession but as with playing, there are rewards if you work hard.”
The Bossley Park-product’s own playing career began in the old NSL competition with the Marconi Stallions, before making the decision to try his luck abroad.
In 1991, he left home for Bruges, a city 100km away from Belgium’s capital of Brussels.
It proved to be a perfect move for ‘Paolo’. During his five-year stint with Club Brugge, Okon became the first non-European player to win the Belgian Golden Shoe, awarded to the best footballer in Belgium, while helping his side take out the title in 1995-96, as well as securing two consecutive Belgian Cups.
“It was a great experience. Those days it wasn’t a normal thing to do at the age of 19 to move to the other side of the world,” he said.
“It was a big decision, and having a real supportive family helped. It was a great opportunity at a great club to start my career in Europe.”
Okon’s success earned him a dream move to Italy’s Serie A competition with Lazio, and then to Fiorentina.
He went on to play at a host of European clubs, including Middlesbrough, Watford, Leeds United and K.V. Oostende, as well as spending time in Cyprus.
Okon earned 28 caps for his beloved Socceroos, and he rates his debut match for the green and gold as a career highlight.
“Playing for Australia after the first game, you think to yourself that no one can take that away from you,” he said.
“It’s the biggest honour and then on top of that, to captain Australia, it was fantastic and to be given that opportunity was unbelievable.”
Okon was recognised for his contribution to Australian football in 2009, when he was inducted into the FFA Hall of Fame joining the likes of Alex Tobin, Terry Greedy and Mark Viduka.
“There are a number of people that I’ve looked up to that are in that Hall of Fame, to be up there next to them is a great honour,” Okon said.
“I wasn’t expecting it.
“Hopefully I was one of the pioneers that went over to Europe and contributed to helping that pathway for other Australian players.”
Okon said the most important lesson he had learnt throughout his illustrious career would be that there is no denying hard work.
It’s a message he has instilled in his players, as well as his kids.
“There are no shortcuts. I had some really tough moments with injuries and I’m really proud of myself that I was able to overcome those issues and still continue to play at the highest level,” he said.
“If you’re not committed and not prepared to do the extras and go above and beyond, you won’t achieve potentially what you can.”
“That’s not only something I tell the players but my own children, with anything that you do, if you want to take a shortcut, you won’t achieve to where maybe you can get to.”
Central Coast Mariners kick off season 2017-18 against Newcastle Jets at Central Coast Stadium on Saturday, 5.35pm.