Ikpeba Slams Onyeka’s Coventry City Switch as ‘Step Lower’
Former Nigeria international Victor Ikpeba has voiced strong disapproval of Frank Onyeka’s decision to join Championship side Coventry City on loan from Brentford.
Onyeka, who was a key figure for the Super Eagles at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, made the switch on deadline day with an obligation to buy if Coventry secure promotion to the Premier League.
Ikpeba, speaking on SuperSport’s Monday Night Football, argued that the move represents a step down for a player of Onyeka’s calibre.
He acknowledged that limited playing time at Brentford may have influenced the midfielder’s choice, but insisted that a player of his quality should remain in the Premier League or seek opportunities in top-flight leagues across Europe.
‘It’s not nice for him to go down a step lower, the Championship,’ Ikpeba said, stressing that Onyeka’s talent deserves a bigger stage.
He added that during his own career, he never considered playing in the lower divisions, even when the opportunity arose late in his career.
Ikpeba concluded that Onyeka’s decision to join Coventry ‘makes no sense,’ despite the club’s strong position in the Championship table, and urged that the midfielder should have aimed for a more prestigious destination.
