Nigeria, Nov. 4 -- After nearly a decade of shared ambition, growth, and success, cracks have begun to appear in one of Nigerian football's most admired partnerships - that between Remo Stars Football Club and their long-serving head coach, Daniel Ogunmodede, popularly known as Ijaball.

Remo Stars' humiliating 5-1 home defeat to South African giants Mamelodi Sundowns in the first leg of their CAF Champions League Preliminary Second Round tie triggered intense debate over Ogunmodede's ability to lead the club at the continental level.

In the aftermath of the heavy loss, the coach did not shield himself from responsibility. In an exclusive, candid dressing-room address, he told his players:

"We put up a shameful fight. We lost our heads....