The Sky Blue Stars ended their wait for a maiden Nigeria Premier Football League title last season, achieving a historic feat on multiple fronts.
They became the first privately-owned club in over two decades to claim the Nigerian crown, and it was also the first time an Ogun State club had won the league since its inception.
Remo Stars will begin their continental campaign against Comoros champions US Zilimadjou in the first round, with the tactician - also an assistant for Nigeria’s senior national team - outlining his team’s key priorities for the elite competition.
"Well, the priority is to be better than what we did last season. That is the priority this time," Ogunmodede told Flashscore.com in an exclusive interview.
"I will try to take you back. Some years ago, we were struggling in the second division of the league. At one point, we dominated the Nigerian National League (NNL). At some point, we were struggling in the NPFL.
"We got promoted twice and relegated almost immediately. But now we are a force to be reckoned with. We dominated the NPFL, but we have been struggling on the continent.
"I can tell you, very soon, hopefully from this season, we are going to dominate."
For context, the Ikenne-based outfit made their continental debut in the 2023/24 campaign, but they paid heavily for their inexperience, bowing out in the first round after a penalty shootout defeat to Ghana’s Medeama, following a 1-1 aggregate score.
Now, Remo Stars boast a squad blending youth and experience, with several players also representing the Super Eagles.
Coach Ogunmodede, however, downplays claims that having international and foreign players gives his team a major advantage, emphasising instead that the team’s guiding principle is focus.
"It should be an advantage, but don’t forget, they might be away with the national team during this period. During our race to win the league, we had about six players in the CHAN squad, and we still performed well because of our culture," he continued.
"Remo Stars’ culture is not one that depends on a single player or a small group. It’s a team effort.
"First, we plan to retain the bulk of our team - at least 90%. It’s crucial to keep them motivated, focused, and ensure we don’t get carried away by the modest success we’ve achieved, as significant as it is."
The Soname effect: Remo Stars' rapid rise
Considered one of Africa’s brightest coaching prospects, Ogunmodede humbly refuses to take credit for Remo Stars’ NPFL triumph, describing it instead as a collective effort led by the club’s exemplary owner and administrator, Hon. Kunle Soname.
He praised Soname for his vision and investment, highlighting that the owner’s leadership has been central to transforming Remo Stars into a competitive force.
"Well, it's a general victory for us. It's a total victory and the group have done a very good job over the years. It's not an individual thing; it's not about me. It's about the project of Remo Stars that we've been embarked on for a decade now," he stated.
"We are happy that we have the consequence of hard work, discipline, perseverance and consistency. So, we are happy that it came at the right time. We are happy that we never did it in vain.
"It's a project that comes with a lot of sleepless nights, a lot of investment. A big kudos needs to go to Hon. Kunle Soname for how much he has invested.
"He does two important things that are very real. One, he is investing, and the second thing is patience. He was patient while he was spending heavily.
"At the end, we got the dividends. I must tell you that personally, as a coach, I feel so elated that we could achieve this feat at the end."
Remo Stars will be competing on multiple fronts this season, particularly on the continental stage, where they aim to emulate Enyimba’s historic feat of winning the CAF Champions League.
Should they overcome US Zilimadjou, they will face the 2016 African champions, Mamelodi Sundowns, in the second round.
