Brown Ideye, a veteran striker for Enyimba FC, criticizes the NPFL for its poor standards, poor player welfare, and inadequate infrastructure. He emphasizes the league's lack of preparation for international competition and urges reforms to improve the system. Ideye's comments shed light on the challenges facing Nigerian football clubs.
Veteran Nigerian striker Brown Ideye has expressed his dissatisfaction with the state of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), lamenting the league’s worsening standards. After returning to Enyimba FC, the 36-year-old, who has played in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, voiced his frustration following a string of poor results for the club, including a 2-0 loss to Kwara United.
Ideye emphasized that the NPFL's decline is becoming more evident as issues surrounding player welfare, infrastructure, and planning persist. He criticized the league for lacking a competitive edge and poor preparations, which hamper Nigerian clubs' performances on the continental stage. The striker pointed out that Nigerian teams face serious challenges when competing abroad due to logistical problems, including inadequate travel arrangements, poor feeding, and substandard accommodation.
The former Ocean Boys player stressed the need for urgent reforms, stating that Nigerian clubs are not ready for international tournaments. He argued that the focus should be on improving the league before clubs attempt to compete at the continental level, to avoid embarrassment on the world stage.
