Remo Stars have clarified why their head coach, Daniel Ogunmodede, has recently been absent from the club’s touchline. Contrary to rumours that he had resigned or been dismissed, the club said Ogunmodede is in Abuja taking part in a CAF B Licence coaching course part of his professional development.
Ogunmodede also continues to have duties with the national team — he is an assistant coach of Super Eagles — which has added to his time away from Remo Stars. The club has dismissed stories that he had resigned, instead stressing that he remains “an integral part” of the technical staff.
Despite his absence during several matches including recent league and continental fixtures — Remo Stars insist the hiatus is temporary, and he is expected to return upon completing his course and national team engagements.
Editorial
In the uneasy landscape of modern football management, absence does not always imply abandonment. For Ogunmodede, the decision to step away from the bench not out of resentment or upheaval but out of duty to education and national service reveals tensions inherent in balancing club loyalty with personal ambition and national responsibility.
Remo Stars entrusted him to deliver stability, style and results. He delivered. Under his stewardship the Ikenne-based side even scaled the pinnacle of the domestic pyramid. Yet the lure of further growth the desire to hone his craft via a CAF B Licence is not a betrayal but an investment in long-term quality. It speaks to a mind unwilling to stagnate, even when success has arrived.
Simultaneously, his dual role with the Super Eagles casts light on a dilemma facing many African coaches today divided focus. Clubs demand presence national teams demand allegiance. In theory, one can serve both. In practice, something must give. When a coach is simultaneously attending courses in Abuja and preparing a national team, the club inevitably bears the short-term cost.
It is here, in the space between deadlines and diplomas, that trust is tested. Remo Stars’ public support for Ogunmodede may reflect solidarity or necessity. But to truly thrive, such arrangements demand transparency, planning, and acceptance that sometimes, progress arrives through temporary absence, not resignation.
Did You Know?
- The CAF B Licence is considered one of the foundational continental coaching credentials and several top African coaches routinely upgrade via this course before applying for CAF A or Pro Licence status.
- Remo Stars’ statement confirming Ogunmodede remains head coach came after rumours spread that he had resigned — a claim the club dismissed as “fake”.
- Ogunmodede’s occasional absence isn’t new: during their 2024–25 league-winning season the coach reportedly missed more than ten NPFL matches because of national team duties.
- While away, the club has relied on his assistant coaches who say the team still trains and plays according to plans laid out by Ogunmodede prior to his departure.
- Critics have argued that juggling club and country roles may undermine long-term stability, especially when a coach’s commitments include both competitive coaching and professional development courses.
