Remo Stars boss Daniel Ogunmodede has declared his team’s ambition to remain at the top of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) table until the end of the season.
His statement comes after a recent crucial 2-1 “away” victory against Sunshine Stars, a win that further solidified their position as title contenders.
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With 45 points from 22 games, Remo Stars now hold an eight-point lead over second-placed Shooting Stars, who have 37 points from 21 matches.
For a club that was once a relegation candidate, their current form is a significant shift towards making history by winning their first-ever league title.
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Reflecting on season’s fourth away victory
In an exclusive interview with PREMIUM TIMES, Ogunmodede reflected on the psychological challenge his players faced, playing what felt like a home game despite being labeled an away fixture.
“It’s a mixed feeling. We’re kind of in the horn of a dilemma. We struggled so hard during the short space after our last match to be able to deal with the psyche of the players, to make them know we need to treat the match like it’s our home match.
“It’s a home match, which is extremely difficult. This is football. It’s always ringing in your mind that it’s an away match.”
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Despite the mental battle, the Remo Stars coach praised his players for their resilience in securing a vital three points.
“Important three points for us”
Ogunmodede did not hide the significance of the victory against Sunshine Stars, acknowledging the pressure both sides faced.
“Important three points for us, and we’re happy we got the maximum three points. It’s a tough match. Extremely important for the Sunshine team, but unfortunately, they had to face us in front of our crowd on our pitch.
“That makes it a little bit difficult for them and dicey for us. I must give a lot of kudos to my players. They were able to keep the same mentality and fight a good fight.”
Eight points clear but cautious
With the win extending Remo Stars’ lead in the NPFL standings, Ogunmodede highlighted its importance.
“Very important for us. We are eight points clear now. It was an extremely important match for us.”
Although the club has come close to glory in recent seasons, Ogunmodede remains focused on one game at a time, avoiding premature celebrations.
“The end is going to justify the means. All I will say is, like I used to tell you all the time, we want to be better than what we were last season.
“But for now, we don’t want to conclude on anything. But I can assure you, we want to go to every game to win. We want to win all matches, and we want to be on top of the table until the end of the season. That’s what we want to do.”
With fatigue becoming a factor in a grueling season, Ogunmodede commended his players for pushing through the physical demands.
“These boys are also human. They have blood flowing in their veins. They need rest. They need to rest. So, every moment in the game, they need to catch a breath and try to run again, catch a breath, and try to run again. We were able to manage it to a reasonable extent.”
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History in the making
Remo Stars have never won the NPFL title, but with each victory, they move closer to rewriting history.
While the battle is far from over, Ogunmodede and his players are determined to fight until the final day.
Will this finally be their year? The outcome remains to be seen, but Coach Ogunmodede is confident that their efforts will ultimately pay off, saying, “The end will justify the means.”
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