View source for Dragan Okuka

{{Short description|Serbian footballer (born 1954)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2024}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Dragan Okuka
| image =
| fullname = Dragomir Okuka
| birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|1954|4|2|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Porija]], [[Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina|PR Bosnia and Herzegovina]], [[Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia|FPR Yugoslavia]]
| position = [[Midfielder]]
| currentclub = 
| youthyears1 = 
| youthclubs1 = 
| years1 = 1971–1974
| years2 = 1974–1985
| years3 = 1977–1978
| years4 = 1985–1987
| years5 = 1987–1989
| clubs1 = Velež Nevesinje
| clubs2 = [[FK Velež Mostar|Velež Mostar]]
| clubs3 = → [[FK Leotar|Leotar]] (loan)
| clubs4 = [[Örebro SK]]
| clubs5 = [[Motala AIF]]
| caps1 = 
| caps2 = 214
| caps3 = 33
| caps4 = 64
| caps5 = 58
| goals1 = 
| goals2 = 34
| goals3 = 4
| goals4 = 8
| goals5 = 11
| nationalyears1 = 1978–1979
| nationalteam1 = [[Yugoslavia national under-21 football team|Yugoslavia U21]]
| nationalcaps1 = 4
| nationalgoals1 = 1
| nationalyears2 = 1981–1982
| nationalteam2 = [[Yugoslavia Olympic football team|Yugoslavia U23]]
| nationalcaps2 = 5
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| medaltemplates = 
{{MedalSport|Men's [[Association football|Football]]}}
{{MedalCountry|{{YUG}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Mediterranean Games]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[1979 Mediterranean Games|1979 Split]]|Team}}
| manageryears1 = 1995–1996
| manageryears2 = 1996–1997
| manageryears3 = 1997–1998
| manageryears4 = 1999–2000
| manageryears5 = 2000
| manageryears6 = 2000–2003
| manageryears7 = 2005–2006
| manageryears8 = 2006
| manageryears9 = 2007
| manageryears10 = 2008–2010
| manageryears11 = 2010
| manageryears12 = 2011–2013
| manageryears13 = 2014
| manageryears14 = 2016
| manageryears15 = 2018
| manageryears16 = 2019
| managerclubs1 = [[FK Bečej|Bečej]]
| managerclubs2 = [[FK Čukarički|Čukarički]]
| managerclubs3 = [[FK Obilić|Obilić]]
| managerclubs4 = [[FK Budućnost Podgorica|Budućnost Podgorica]]
| managerclubs5 = [[FK Vojvodina|Vojvodina]]
| managerclubs6 = [[Legia Warsaw]]
| managerclubs7 = [[Serbia national under-21 football team|Serbia and Montenegro U21]]
| managerclubs8 = [[Wisła Kraków]]
| managerclubs9 = [[AC Omonia|Omonia]]
| managerclubs10= [[FC Lokomotiv 1929 Sofia|Lokomotiv Sofia]]
| managerclubs11= [[Kavala F.C.|Kavala]]
| managerclubs12= [[Jiangsu Sainty F.C.|Jiangsu Sainty]]
| managerclubs13= [[Changchun Yatai]]
| managerclubs14= [[Tianjin Teda F.C.|Tianjin Teda]]
| managerclubs15= [[FK Vojvodina|Vojvodina]]
| managerclubs16= [[Kunshan F.C.|Kunshan]]
}}
'''Dragomir "Dragan" Okuka''' ({{Lang-sr-Cyr|Драгомир Драган Окука}}; born 2 April 1954) is a Serbian professional [[Manager (association football)|football manager]] and former [[Football player|player]].<ref>Okuka was born in Bosnia and Herzegovina but his official nationality is Serbian. See profile at his [http://www.draganokuka.com/english.htm official website] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111004061920/http://www.draganokuka.com/english.htm |date=4 October 2011 }}</ref>

As a player, he was predominantly associated with his time with [[FK Velež Mostar|Velež Mostar]] where he won the 1981 [[Yugoslav Cup]] before joining Swedish club [[Örebro SK]], the place his son, professional footballer [[Dražen Okuka|Dražen]], was born before ending his career soon after.

Starting his management career with [[FK Bečej]], Okuka would win his first coaching honours with [[FK Obilić]] when he won the [[1997–98 First League of FR Yugoslavia|1997–98 Yugoslav league title]] with them.<ref name="Okuka UBC article">{{cite web |url=https://www.urbanbookcircle.com/interview-with-serbian-soccer-coach-dragan-okuka-by-djuradj-vujcic.html |last=Vujcic |first=Djuradj |agency=Urban Book Circle |title=Short interview with Serbian soccer coach Dragan Okuka |access-date=27 June 2024 |date=26 June 2015 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240329002626/http://www.urbanbookcircle.com/interview-with-serbian-soccer-coach-dragan-okuka-by-djuradj-vujcic.html|archive-date=29 March 2024 |url-status= }}</ref> Since then he has achieved success with Polish club [[Legia Warsaw]] and managed the [[Serbia national under-21 football team|Serbia and Montenegro under-21 team]] to a fourth-place finish at the [[2006 UEFA European Under-21 Championship|2006 European Under-21 Championship]]. He has also managed several other clubs.

==Playing career==
Okuka, born in [[Porija]] (a village in the [[Herzegovina|Herzegovinian]] town of [[Kalinovik]]), started his football career playing for Velež Nevesinje.<ref name="rodjeni">Book: "Rođeni - Prvoligaške generacije 1952 - 1991" by Zoran Mrđenović, pag. 37 {{in lang|sr}}</ref>  However, he reached his affirmation at [[Yugoslav First League]] club [[FK Velež Mostar|Velež Mostar]] and in his debut season was part of the squad that narrowly missed out on winning the [[1973–74 Yugoslav First League|1973–74 league title]] on goal difference to [[HNK Hajduk Split]].<ref>[https://www.rsssf.org/tablesj/joeghist.html Yugoslavia - List of Final Tables] at ''Rsssf.com''</ref> After several seasons within Velež Mostar's midfield Okuka would go on to win the 1981 [[Yugoslav Cup]] and [[Balkans Cup]] with the club, while also gaining a [[Bachelor of Laws|BA in Law]] from the [[University of Mostar]]. Having spent the majority of his career in Velež Mostar (11 years, except one season he spent on loan at [[FK Leotar Trebinje|Leotar Trebinje]]<ref name="rodjeni"/>), Okuka would join [[Swedish football Division 2]] side [[Örebro SK]] for a short period before ending his career with Swedish lower league side [[Motala AIF]].<ref>[http://www.worldfootball.net/spieler_profil/dragan-okuka/ Dragan Okuka] at ''Worldfootball.net''</ref>

He represented Yugoslavia at the [[Football at the 1979 Mediterranean Games|1979 Mediterranean Games]] (winning gold) and played four matches (scoring one goal) for the [[Yugoslavia national under-21 football team|Yugoslavia national under-21 team]].<ref name="rodjeni"/> Okuka was the captain of the under-21 side at the [[1980 UEFA European Under-21 Championship]] where Yugoslavia (led by a coaching duo of [[Ivan Toplak]] and [[Stevan Vilotić]]) reached the semi-final where they lost to the [[Soviet Union national under-21 football team|Soviet Union]].<ref name="Okuka UBC article"/>

==Coaching career==
After he retired, he would move back to Yugoslavia and return to his first club Velež Mostar, where he took the position of general manager within the team by 1990. His time at the club was short-lived, and he would soon have to face challenges outside football when his life would be disrupted by the [[Bosnian War]] in 1992, however in early 1995 Okuka would make his first foray into management when he was hired by struggling Yugoslavian team [[FK Bečej]] and lead them to fourth within the [[1994–95 First League of FR Yugoslavia|1994–95 league season]].<ref>[https://www.rsssf.org/tablesj/joeg95.html Yugoslavia 1994/95] at ''rsssf.com''</ref> This would be enough for Okuka to lead the team to the [[1995 UEFA Intertoto Cup]], where the club were knocked out in the group stages; however, despite this, Okuka would soon attract the interests of [[FK Čukarički]], who he stayed with for one season.   
 
Still regarded as one of the country's most promising coaches, he would join highly ambitious football club [[FK Obilić]] despite the questionable ownership of career criminal [[Željko Ražnatović]]. While at the club he would employ a 3-5-2 formation as the club won the [[1997–98 First League of FR Yugoslavia|1997–98 league title]] for the first time.<ref>[https://www.rsssf.org/tablesj/joeg98.html Yugoslavia 1997/98] at ''rsssf.com''</ref> Okuka would only stay with the club for one season, as Željko Ražnatović's ownership of the club came into question, and, despite having the chance to manage in the [[1998–99 UEFA Champions League]], Okuka decided to join [[FK Budućnost Podgorica]] the following season.<ref>[http://www.goal.com/en/news/2377/top-10/2010/10/10/2159240/top-10-club-takeovers Top 10 Club Takeovers] at ''goal.com''</ref>

After a short stint with [[FK Vojvodina]] in 2000, Okuka would move away from the Yugoslavian league and join [[Ekstraklasa|top tier]] Polish side [[Legia Warsaw]], where he would soon get them to play in a 3-4-1-2 formation and eventually aid them to the [[2001–02 Ekstraklasa]] league title at the end of the season.<ref>[https://www.rsssf.org/tablesp/polhist.html Poland Final Tables (1st and 2nd level)] at ''rsssf.com''</ref> The following season wasn't so happy for Okuka, as Legia Warsaw were knocked out early within the [[2002–03 UEFA Champions League]] while also having an underwhelming league season, which saw him replaced by [[Dariusz Kubicki]] at the end of the season.

After spending eighteen months out of coaching, he was offered the chance to manage the [[Serbia and Montenegro national under-21 football team|Serbia and Montenegro under-21 team]], where he used a 4-4-2 formation to help guide the team to the [[2006 UEFA European Under-21 Championship]]. At the tournament he would go on to guide the club to a semi-final position as the team narrowly missed the final in a penalty shoot-out against [[Ukraine national under-21 football team|Ukraine]].<ref>[https://archive.today/20120709190545/http://en.archive.uefa.com/competitions/under21/history/season=2006/round=1913/match=84132/index.html Penalty drama goes Ukraine's way] at ''uefa.com''</ref> Once the tournament finished Okuka would return to club football with Polish side [[Wisła Kraków]], who were looking for someone to improve upon their last season's result of second within the league. Already several games into the season expectations were still high despite the previous manager [[Dan Petrescu]] being fired after a slow start; however, Okuka was not the manager to change the club's fortunes and was fired two months later after only eight games, with the club languishing in mid-table.

Okuka would move around Europe, first with Cypriot side [[AC Omonia]], where he played a 4-2-3-1 formation with little success before leaving the club after only several months. He wouldn't wait too long before joining Bulgarian side [[Lokomotiv Sofia]] in June 2008; however, the highlight of his reign was a short stint within the [[2008–09 UEFA Cup]], and, after being unable to mount a title challenge during his time with the club, they decided not to renew his contract. This saw him move to Greek side [[Kavala F.C.]], but he only stayed with the club for five mouths and was replaced with [[Henryk Kasperczak]]. Deciding not to stay within Europe, Okuka would accept the management position from Chinese top-tier club [[Jiangsu Sainty F.C.|Jiangsu Sainty]], who he joined half-way through their 2011 league season and within his debut season guided the club to their best-ever finish of fourth at the end of the campaign.<ref>[http://www.sportske.net/vest/domaci-fudbal/okuka-drago-mi-je-da-sam-opravdao-renome-tumbe-kosana-santraca-56671.html Okuka follows in the footsteps] at ''Sportske.net''</ref> He would strive to make [[Jiangsu Sainty F.C.|Jiangsu Sainty]] the Chinese Super League runner-up in 2012, with only 4 points to equal [[Marcello Lippi]]'s [[Guangzhou Evergrande]] at the end of the season. Okuka would receive the honour of Chinese FA Coach of the Year for his wonderful coaching performance in 2012 and he was to gain popularity among soccer fans throughout China. Okuka won his first title for Jiangsu in the [[2013 Chinese FA Super Cup]] bu beating [[2012 Chinese Super League|Super League]] and [[2012 Chinese FA Cup|FA Cup]] winners Guangzhou Evergrande 2–1. However, Jiangsu Sainty spent most time in struggling at the edge of relegation in the 2013 season and finally avoided relegation by beating [[Qingdao Jonoon]] just one point. The club decided not to extend his contract at the end of the season.

==Honours==

===Player===
'''Velež Mostar'''
* [[Yugoslav Cup]]: 1981
* [[Balkans Cup]]: 1981

===Manager===
'''Obilić'''
*[[First League of FR Yugoslavia]]: [[1997–98 First League of FR Yugoslavia|1997–98]]

'''Legia Warsaw'''
* [[Ekstraklasa]]: [[2001–02 Ekstraklasa|2001–02]]
* [[Polish League Cup (1999–2002)|Polish League Cup]]: 2001–02

'''Jiangsu Sainty'''
* [[Chinese FA Super Cup]]: [[2013 Chinese FA Super Cup|2013]]

'''Individual'''
* [[Chinese Football Association]] Coach of the Year: [[2012 Chinese Super League|2012]]
* [[Serbian Footballer of the Year#Coach of the Year|Serbian Coach of the Year]]: 2012

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.draganokuka.com/ Official website]

{{Navboxes
|title= Managerial positions
|list1=
{{FK Obilić managers}}
{{FK Budućnost Podgorica managers}}
{{FK Vojvodina managers}}
{{Legia Warsaw managers}}
{{Serbia and Montenegro national under-21 football team managers}}
{{Wisła Kraków managers}}
{{AC Omonia managers}}
{{Kavala F.C. managers}}
{{Jiangsu Sainty F.C. managers}}
{{Tianjin Teda F.C. managers}}
}}
{{Navboxes
|title=Awards
|bg=gold
|fg=navy
|list1=
{{Football Association of Serbia Coach of the Year}}
{{Chinese Football Association Coach of the Year}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Okuka, Dragan}}
[[Category:1954 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Kalinovik]]
[[Category:Footballers from Foča Region]]
[[Category:Serbs of Bosnia and Herzegovina]]
[[Category:Men's association football midfielders]]
[[Category:Yugoslav men's footballers]]
[[Category:Yugoslavia men's under-21 international footballers]]
[[Category:Mediterranean Games gold medalists for Yugoslavia]]
[[Category:Competitors at the 1979 Mediterranean Games]]
[[Category:Mediterranean Games medalists in football]]
[[Category:FK Velež Mostar players]]
[[Category:FK Leotar players]]
[[Category:Örebro SK players]]
[[Category:Motala AIF players]]
[[Category:Yugoslav First League players]]
[[Category:Division 2 (Swedish football) players]]
[[Category:Yugoslav expatriate men's footballers]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Sweden]]
[[Category:Yugoslav expatriate sportspeople in Sweden]]
[[Category:Serbia and Montenegro football managers]]
[[Category:Serbian football managers]]
[[Category:FK Bečej managers]]
[[Category:FK Čukarički managers]]
[[Category:FK Obilić managers]]
[[Category:FK Budućnost Podgorica managers]]
[[Category:FK Vojvodina managers]]
[[Category:Legia Warsaw managers]]
[[Category:Serbia national under-21 football team managers]]
[[Category:Wisła Kraków managers]]
[[Category:AC Omonia managers]]
[[Category:FC Lokomotiv 1929 Sofia managers]]
[[Category:Kavala F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Jiangsu F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Changchun Yatai F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Tianjin Jinmen Tiger F.C. managers]]
[[Category:First League of Serbia and Montenegro managers]]
[[Category:Ekstraklasa managers]]
[[Category:Cypriot First Division managers]]
[[Category:First Professional Football League (Bulgaria) managers]]
[[Category:Super League Greece managers]]
[[Category:Chinese Super League managers]]
[[Category:Serbian SuperLiga managers]]
[[Category:China League One managers]]
[[Category:Serbia and Montenegro expatriate football managers]]
[[Category:Expatriate football managers in Poland]]
[[Category:Serbia and Montenegro expatriate sportspeople in Poland]]
[[Category:Serbian expatriate football managers]]
[[Category:Expatriate football managers in Cyprus]]
[[Category:Serbian expatriate sportspeople in Cyprus]]
[[Category:Expatriate football managers in Bulgaria]]
[[Category:Serbian expatriate sportspeople in Bulgaria]]
[[Category:Expatriate football managers in Greece]]
[[Category:Serbian expatriate sportspeople in Greece]]
[[Category:Expatriate football managers in China]]
[[Category:Serbian expatriate sportspeople in China]]
[[Category:University of Mostar alumni]]