INTERVIEW: My love for football almost killed me, says Remo Stars coach Daniel Ogunmodede

Before football gave Daniel Ogunmodede a source of livelihood and success, the sport nearly ended his life.

He had appendicitis while preparing for his Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE). A teenage Ogunmodede had to go under the knife to extract the inflamed appendix. He was gingerly stitched together by a doctor who warned him against strenuous work and, importantly, playing football.

A few weeks later, against the doctor’s advice, Ogunmodede returned to the pitch, and all the seams from the surgery fell apart — another health emergency that completely halted his dreams of playing football professionally.

But Ogunmodede was determined to make a life out of his passion. If his feet were decent at playing ball, his mouth and brain were even better. He had been both player and manager throughout his school days. As the curtain fell prematurely on his dream of playing football, his coaching career took on a new life.

As a student of Ladoke Akintola University (LAUTECH), Ogunmodede began coaching a group of local boys on a sandy pitch at Odo-Oru in Ogbomoso, Oyo. A little over two decades later, he led Remo Stars to the club’s first-ever Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) title. At 44, Ogunmode is at the pinnacle of Nigerian football management: He managed the home-based Eagles to the African Nations Championship (CHAN) for the first time in six years and is an assistant coach of the Super Eagles. 

When TheCable’s IDRIS SHEHU sat with him at Remo Stars stadium in Ikenne, the manager was deluged by excited fans keen to interact with him. Ogunmodede obliged all the requests as he recounted his managerial journey, his success with Remo Stars and how the gulf in quality between Nigerian and European football can be bridged. 

TheCable: How did your coaching journey start?

Ogunmodede: I started coaching in 1996. I was in my secondary school when I started coaching. I was a player-coach for my school. Mr Ogundare, our PHE teacher, loved how I shared how football should be played as a young boy. Since then, I started coaching. When I got to Ogbomosho in my university days, precisely 1998/99, I started with some young kids in the area. The area in Ogbomoso is called Odo-Oru. There was a small pitch directly opposite my church, and I started coaching the young boys. I did that for 10 years.

I was there consistently, day in and day out. The name of the academy is Young Ago Football Club. I ran it for 10 years and had a breakthrough after we played Crown FC. They used my team as a test run ahead of every season. I was fortunate to meet Baba Olayiwola Olagbemiro (former chairman of Crown FC). He spoke with me about my interest in coaching, and he was able to get me a coaching form at the National Institute for Sports (NIS).

After my NIS, I did my IT with Crown FC. I was supposed to start the IT with the feeder team, but Godfrey Esu saw me and brought me in as his assistant. The team got promoted to the NPFL in the first year. It was a great experience with him because he was the first professional coach I had ever worked with. He was like a father figure. I stayed with him 80 percent of my time and asked him questions. I was at Crown FC from 2009 to 2015. During the period, we were promoted to the NPFL twice and relegated twice. We also won the Oyo FA Cup.

TheCable: What stopped you from pursuing a professional football career? 

Ogunmodede: During my secondary school days, I was preparing for the SSCE. So I had this appendix surgery that had a bit of complications. I couldn’t play anymore. My dad didn’t want me to play football. In those days, they felt it was irresponsible children who play football. He wanted me to be a medical doctor. And he did everything humanly possible to make me a medical doctor.

Three weeks after the surgery, I tried football again, and I suffered another tear in my stomach. The exact spot that was operated on. Yeah, (I almost lost my life to football). Not until I got admitted to the university did I try to play football again. I was not the best of players, but talking and teaching football, I know what to do at the right time.

I was admitted to the university as a normal student. I could not get admission into medical school, so I had to study to become a physiologist. I played for my faculty and the school a little. We had top players like Seyi Olofinjana. He was my senior for about four or five years. But earlier on, I realised that not everybody can make it playing football, but everybody can make it through football. So I chose my path and I followed it keenly.

TheCable: Why did you take on a youth development role when you joined Remo Stars, despite your prior experience? 

Ogunmodede: When I came to Remo, I did not come as a youth coach. Because I thought I was done with youth coaching. I was already in performance coaching. Like I told you, I was an assistant to the top coaches: Esu, Lawrence Apokona, Niyi Akande, and David Egberi. When I came to Remo, I applied for the head coach position. But unfortunately, the club had a coach, and I was offered an assistant role. I accepted, and we started the job, but a year later, the owner of the club spoke to me about youth development. And we started 2016. One of the biggest parts of coaching is youth development. It takes a lot of energy and time, with years of hard work. I did it for years. I set up the U-10, U-13, U-15, U-17 and U-19. Most of those boys from the age groups were promoted to the first team. And a lot of them travelled.

TheCable: How many members of the title-winning squad are products of the club’s youth team?

Ogunmodede: We have Ahmed Akinyele, Stanley Joseph, Nduka Junior, Lekan Adedayo, Sodiq Ismail, and Qudus Olamilekan. We have six of them presently.

TheCable: When you started, did you envision the youth project being this massive?

Ogunmodede: Yes, I believed so. When we had the discussion of youth development with the president of the club, he already made me see what he was looking for. For me, I was sure that if we followed the framework, success was sure for us. Today, we have the best academy in Nigeria and one of the best in Africa. For Remo Stars, we are currently one of the best teams in the country. We are no longer struggling. And we are not bottlers anymore. We are happy with our achievement so far.

TheCable: In 2021, you were appointed an assistant coach of C.D. Feirense in Portugal. How did that experience shape you and your philosophy? 

Ogunmodede: This was one of the turning points of my career. I went to C.D. Feirense as an assistant coach. I saw the opportunity, and I grabbed it. I had the chance to stay in the NPFL then, but with my personal evaluation, I knew this was a chance to be a better version of me. I had the opportunity to design and prepare daily training with a top professional club and coaches. It is different from going for a course of three weeks; I was there for a whole season. I learnt from top coaches. I attended conferences. I attended training sessions of top clubs like Porto, Benfica, Rio Aves, and Famalicao. I was able to attend some conferences with Nuno Espirito, Fonceca. We shared ideas and talked about football.

I had my ‘IjaBall’ philosophy before I left for Portugal. I have had it for over 10 years. I was trying to put things together, and I arrived at IjaBall. It is my philosophy. I tried to develop it, and going to Portugal helped to solidify it with many hypotheses.

TheCable: Finally, ‘IjaBall’ has led to a league title. Do you feel you’re in the position you envisioned for yourself in the Nigerian football ecosystem? 

Ogunmodede: Around 2012, I had a conversation with Crown FC’s welfare officer. I told him my mission was to win the Nigerian league and lead a Nigerian club to the CAF Champions League before I was 40. Unfortunately, it did not happen before I was 40; it happened in my early 40s. I’m where I plan to be, but I want more.

My mission is to make coaching lucrative and respected in the country. I want coaches to be educated and given a chance in the country. I am happy I’m achieving that.

TheCable: Have you had any disappointment that made you want to quit coaching? 

Ogunmodede: I am very good at fighting back rather than giving up. A lot of things have happened that would have made others give up, but not for me. I have never thought of giving up. Though I have worked for coaches whom I feel bad about the way they were treated, I have learnt from their mistakes and kept checks and balances while I had my time.

TheCable: How big is the gulf in quality between Nigerian football and European football, and how can it be bridged? 

Ogunmodede: It is two parallels. But the truth is that we lack content, but we have the capacity. In the European standard, they have the container and the content inside it. In our context, we have the container but no content. In Europe, it is easy for coaches to be certified. It is important for coaches to be well informed, well-equipped, and developed. A 23-year-old has a UEFA Pro licence in Europe.

In the last eight years, we have just had the CAF license course back in the country. What have our coaches been doing for the past eight years? Nothing. No content. But there is capacity. We have competent coaches. Coaches who could be far better than I am if they have content available to them. In Nigeria, you could have somebody who has been coaching for the past 10 years, but he is not certified. Let courses be accessible to our coaches. There is a huge gap, no doubt. It can only be closed if we make education available to coaches.

TheCable: What is next for Remo Stars?

Ogunmodede: We need to conclude the season first and evaluate ourselves genuinely — individually, as a club and as a group. After evaluation, we can determine the next step. But we are going to be better than the next. We are not going to give less. We will not settle for less.

Some seasons ago, we struggled in the second division. We struggled in the NPFL, but now we are contenders. That is what we will be from now on. In the CAF competitions, we struggle, but one day, we will be contenders.

TheCable: You’re an assistant coach with the Super Eagles. As a Nigerian-based coach, how is it working with foreign-based players? 

Ogunmodede: I am not a coward. I am extremely brave. I understand the kind of country that we are in, that we belittle ourselves. I remember when I started wearing a suit. Some people were mocking me for wearing a suit in the sun. People don’t respect coaches. People believe anybody can be a coach. For me, I love respect, and fortunately, I was outside the country and saw for myself. And I go for what I want without prejudice.

When I joined the national team, it was not too difficult to catch up with my responsibilities. I did my work diligently, and I earned my respect. I don’t have an inferiority complex.

TheCable: What should Nigerians expect from the home-based Eagles at the upcoming CHAN?

Ogunmodede: For CHAN, we want to go and win it. It is high time we placed this country back on the success map. If the team is successful, we are all successful. If the CHAN Eagles do well, they will praise players and coaches in the NPFL.