Declaration of determination & challenge
The goal is to take the regular spot from Morishige
DF 30 Teppei OKA
A special content introducing all the blue and red warriors challenging the 2024 season. What are the players, who are about to start the season, thinking and what kind of determination are they bringing to the year? The stories of the players, who hold in their hearts their love for the club, their thirst for titles, their aspirations for success, and the roles they must fulfill──. Coming from the academy, via Meiji University, heading to the top team. The newly joined center-back made a strong declaration of intent by announcing the intention to take the position from Masato MORISHIGE at the announcement of the new system. To prove that the path he has walked was the right one, Teppei OKA begins his journey as a professional player.
After missing the promotion to the top team from FC Tokyo U-18, I gathered my strength at Meiji University with regret in my heart and once again donned the blue and red. I had decided where to return. This is how I reflect on the days I faced for that purpose.
"I want to be evaluated for putting my body on the line in front of the goal and for running and fighting for the team. During my university days, I worked hard on tenacious defense and one-on-one practice. I don't think those four years in university were a detour. To prove that it wasn't a roundabout way, I need to play in matches here first. I want to give it my all from the first season so that I have no regrets."
While coordinating defense from the back, he delivers sharp long feeds to the front line with both feet. He is right-footed but can handle his left foot equally well. When he was in elementary school, his father, Kyohei, told him that it was better to be able to kick with both feet, which motivated him to start improving his left-footed kicks. He also has experience in aerial battles, utilizing his height of 186 centimeters.
The most growth during the four years of university was in the area of learning "the ability to communicate and leadership skills."
"I have grown significantly in terms of my mindset. By constantly thinking about the passion for the game and the efforts to improve the team, I have learned how to communicate what kind of team situation we are in and how we can win. I believe that is where I have grown over the past four years. I still rely on Morikun (Masato MORISHIGE) to some extent, and I want to demonstrate leadership strong enough to unify the team without depending on players who have been around for a long time."
Seiji KIMURA, who is competing for a spot on the Paris Olympic team in the same age group, sought a place to shine this season with a loan move to Sagan Tosu. He candidly expressed, "I wanted to compete with Seiji and see who gets more recognition," but he also stated, "I believe that what we need to do is the same in different places, so I want us to continue to compete with each other."
Statement of intent for the first season as a professional. During the announcement of the new structure, I was asked for words and deliberately expressed stimulating words to motivate myself.
"My goal is to take the starting position from player Morishige and continue to play in matches."
What awaits beyond the high wall may be proof of the correctness of the path one has walked.
Text by Kohei Baba (Freelance Writer)
