After taking Remo Stars back to the top-flight division of Nigerian Football in his first spell, Daniel Ogunmodede discusses his managerial career, his return to the Sky Blues side and explains his next task, ahead of the 2022/2023 season in this exclusive interview with Sports Connect WhatsApp group monitored by platinumnewsng.com
As an assistant coach at CD Feirense in Portugal, Daniel Ogunmodede could not refuse the tempting offer of returning to the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne as the head coach of the team; leading the side to the continent. On the 6th of August, 2022, an official announcement was made on the club’s website on the arrival of the young tactician.
Ogunmodede is returning for his second spell at the club, having been appointed in 2020 as the Head Coach of the senior team and the pioneer Director of Youth Football Development. Interestingly, Ogunmodede has always been an integral part of the Ikenne-based team for a long time before he became the head coach at the club.
Platinumnewsng.com gathered that ‘Ijaball’ revealed that his football coaching started as a teenager, he revealed his love for football coaching started when he was 15 years of age and his path to Remo Stars.
“I started coaching when I was 15 immediately after my secondary school, I couldn’t play football again because of this major operation I underwent and I felt I shouldn’t leave the game like that, so I delved into it and ran a boys club during my university days which I ran for about 10 years.
“Lagbenro saw me and believed in l me up, paid for my tuition fee to attend a coaching course at NIS after which I did my IT with Crown where they staffed me as a fourth coach – I spent 7 years and was part of the crew that promoted the team with the likes of Lawrence Akpokona, Baby Niyi Akande, Ganiu Salami, Busari, Oladuni Oyekale.
“I left the club (Crown FC) in 2015 and came to Remo as an assistant coach. A year later, I started the youth project in the club and at some point in the Premier League. I assisted Nduka Ugbade, Kennedy Boboye and here I am today.”
He joined the club as an Assistant Coach and also the Head Coach of the Youth Team in 2015, and was runners-up in the Metro League played in Lagos. He was an assistant to Nduka Ugbade when the team had the first ever promotion into the Nigeria Professional Football League in 2016.
Remo Stars established a youth system in 2016, Daniel Ogunmodede was again called upon to head the academy, producing young talented players who travelled to Europe and some promoted to the senior side of the club under his watch.
Coach Ogunmodede also qualified the Youth Team of the club for the Federations Cup after coming second in the Ogun State FA Cup and the team went ahead to defeat Bendel Insurance at the Akure Township Stadium to qualify for the round 16 of the competition.
Those brilliant stints earned him a managerial role in 2020 as he led the team to the NPFL. He then departed for Portugal for more experience and exposure as well as to undergo different coaching courses across Europe.
Coming back to the team, Ogunmodede could not refuse an offer to return as a coach as he described the opportunity as a ‘clarion call’ considering the fact it’s his first and the club’s first time in a CAF tournament, he deems it a privilege to return to the club he’s always been at.
“It means a lot to me, though maybe I would have loved being in Europe, but I can’t say no to Remo, it’s a clarion call for me and it means so much to me; yes, my first time as a Coach in CAF Confederation cup and I think it’s worth coming back for and I’m so elated to have been there and being the first coach to take the club to continental.
” I feel elated, I can’t say no to the club, it’s been my project for years and I am happy, it’s worth it after all these years working relentlessly, I’m happy to be back home.”
Ahead of the new season, the new manager believes it won’t be much of a tough task considering his unprecedented first managerial spell at the club, he thinks that nothing is impossible.
“I’m always prepared for any assignments before me, for me, this is nothing different, I’m prepared though it’s a difficult task, it’s not impossible – I will give it my best shot.”
Daniel Ogunmodede would be put to test at the Value Jet preseason tournament, where the Sky Blues Star will be participating alongside nine other professional football teams.