How Football Changed My Life, Ideye

It all began in Ajegunle, the tough part of town everyone knows. In Ajegunle, football is the only way to escape the struggle and poverty. I played for the school team at Oshodi Secondary School in Tolu Complex.

I want to thank Yomi Itsekure. After playing for AJ Leicester, we had a competition at Navy Barracks. Yomi saw me and said, "Look, I like your style of play, and I want you to play for the Nigerian League. He mentioned Ocean Boys. He said, "I have a plan for you. I want you to play one season in the Nigerian League, and then I can draft you to the U-20. From U-20, I can take you to the U-23 and the Super Eagles. As a young boy from Ajegunle, I didn't believe him at first. I thought he was just talking. But when I got to Ocean Boys, everything was great. They treated me well. The fans loved me, and the team president cared for me. I started playing and scoring goals.

After training one day in Bayelsa, I was driving home when I got a call from Yomi. He asked, "Where are you?" I told him I was on my way to the camp after training. He said, "When you get to the camp, call me. I could tell from his voice that there was good news. He said he was speaking to Ladan Bosso, the coach then. Yomi told me not to worry. When he gets the go-ahead, I could pack my bag and join them at the camp. That’s how it happened.

My first tournament was the U-20 World Cup in Canada. At first, I was scared. It was my first major tournament, and I was just a young boy who came from nowhere. But I relaxed after the U-20 and got drafted to the U-23 under coach Samson Siasia.

After the U-23 games, Siasia told me he liked my style of play. He said he thought I was ready for the Super Eagles. So, I got the invitation. Siasia has been like a father and mentor to me. He helped me reach the Super Eagles with Yomi Itsekure. My first friendly match with the Super Eagles was against Niger in Abuja. I scored the winning goal. That’s how I won the heart of the late big boss, Stephen Keshi. When the 25-man list came out, I wasn’t surprised my name was there.

Things took a turn when I left Nigeria injured. I had an accident in Bayelsa, a bike accident. I traveled to Neuchâtel Xamax with this injury. I can say I’m the first player who signed a contract injured, with a bandage on my leg. I had a deep cut, but they looked at it and decided to sign me. I spent about six months in rehab without playing.

I was happy because every player dreams of playing in the EPL. But my time there was short due to injuries and the sacking of the coach who brought me in. A new coach signed more players, and I didn’t get much playing time. My agent met with the coach, who said, "Brown is a very good player, but I don’t have a spot for him. So, please find a new team for him." That’s how I moved from England to Greece to Olympiacos.

I enjoyed my time at Olympiacos because the level was high. There, I played in the Champions League and Europa Cup. It is a dream for every player to compete at that level. I really enjoyed my time there, and my family did too. We were happy in Greece. Olympiacos treated us like family, and I scored many goals.

Shakhtar Donetsk is tough to beat. They are our rivals. Playing against them feels like a World Cup final. They have many good players, and we do too. Sometimes they win, and sometimes we do. But Shakhtar is a strong team. I’m not saying Dynamo Kyiv isn’t good, but they sometimes overpower us.

I believe in trying new things. I don’t want to stick to one path. When I spoke to Nwankwo Kanu, I said, "I want to come and play half a season before I retire." He agreed. So, I traveled to Aba, signed a contract, and started training. So far, it has been good. I won’t lie, it’s been great. Every team in Nigeria has issues, and I’m not trying to kick them when they are down. It takes a brave player to speak up. I enjoyed my time there.

My two sons, aged 15 and 13, play football. If they want to pursue it, I will support them. It’s better because I can mentor them and guide them. If they want to play for Nigeria, why not? I can't stop them; it's their country.

We have been pushing for change in Nigerian football. We want to be seen as the giants of Africa. Right now, we don’t act like it. We need to build facilities for the youth and the Super Eagles. We should start from secondary schools and create competitions to find young talents. We can grow them from 17 to 20 to 23 and then to the Super Eagles. I believe there are good players in Nigeria; we just need a structure to showcase them.

Be careful. There are many sharks out there. Surround yourself with the right people. Be with those who understand your dreams, support you, and help you grow.