NPFL: Brown Ideye Expresses Excitement Over Enyimba Debut

By Saheed Afolabi

Former Nigerian international, Brown Ideye, is thrilled to have marked his return to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) with a debut for Enyimba International in Aba.

Despite Enyimba’s recent 1-1 draw with Bendel Insurance, which came after the sacking of their coach Yemi Olanrewaju, Ideye was excited about his return to the Nigerian top-flight. However, he expressed disappointment at coming on late in the match, stating that he had hoped to feature earlier.

“I feel good. I was expecting to come on earlier, but the coach knows best. So far, I’m feeling great,” Ideye told the press in Aba.

Ideye also shared his views on areas where Enyimba needs to improve as they head into the second round of the season. “For me, I think we still have a lot to learn. The league is still young. This is just the end of the first round. We still have the second round to play,” he said.

The 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) winner encouraged his teammates to address their weaknesses, strengthen their unity, and work towards improving their goal-scoring abilities in the second half of the season.

“We need to work together as a team, correct the mistakes that make it difficult for us to win, and be more clinical in front of goal. We’ll strive to deliver good results in every match,” Ideye emphasized.

He also noted the growth of the NPFL, which played a key role in his decision to return to the league. “For me, I’d say there’s been a little improvement, but not much. We can’t compete with European leagues overnight, but we’ll get there. My return to the league is a positive step,” he added.

Enyimba finished the first round of the 2024/2025 NPFL season in ninth place with 24 points from 16 matches.