Kano Pillars head coach Daniel Ogunmodede has identified poor planning and the inability of Nigerian clubs to retain their best players as major reasons teams from the country continue to struggle in continental competitions.
Ogunmodede, a former head coach of Remo Stars, spoke as Nigerian clubs prepare to represent the country in this season’s CAF competitions, warning that the problems facing them often begin long before they step onto the continental stage.
According to the coach, poor preparation and inadequate planning continue to put Nigerian teams at a disadvantage against clubs from other African countries.
He also pointed to the frequent loss of key players as another major problem, arguing that clubs find it difficult to build continuity when their best performers leave shortly before or during continental campaigns.
“Poor planning and the inability for clubs to keep their best players are some of the main problems affecting Nigerian teams,” Ogunmodede said.
The Kano Pillars coach stressed that these issues cannot be solved by coaches alone, despite managers often receiving the blame when teams fail to perform in continental competitions.
“In most cases, the blame falls back on the coaches, but they are not always at fault for the team’s poor outing,” he noted.
Ogunmodede believes Nigerian clubs must begin planning much earlier for continental football, particularly in areas such as recruitment, player retention, preparation and squad building.
He argued that adequate preparation would allow coaches to work with settled squads and develop the tactical understanding required to compete against well-organised opponents.
The former Remo Stars coach’s comments come as Nigerian clubs prepare for another CAF campaign, with the country eager to improve its recent record in African club competitions.
For Ogunmodede, success on the continent will require more than tactical decisions on match day.
He believes Nigerian football stakeholders must create an environment where clubs can retain their best players, plan ahead and provide coaches with the resources and time needed to build competitive teams.
Unless those structural issues are addressed, he warned, Nigerian clubs could continue to struggle against their continental counterparts.
