‘We’re Not Good Enough’: Brown Ideye Sparks National Football Debate After CHAN 2024 Exit

In the wake of Nigeria’s humiliating 4–0 defeat to Sudan at the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN), former Super Eagles striker Brown Aide Ideye (MON) ignited a fierce debate on X (formerly Twitter) with a blunt assessment of the state of Nigerian football.
‘Let’s keep lying to ourselves and keep blaming someone else every time we fail. We’re not good enough—that’s the bitter truth,’ Ideye posted, following Nigeria’s early exit from the tournament.
The post, which quickly went viral, drew over 19,000 views and a flood of reactions from fans, pundits, and fellow players.
Ideye, who returned to the NPFL with Enyimba in late 2024 after nearly two decades abroad, didn’t mince words about the league’s inability to produce top-tier talent.
While some fans backed Ideye’s honesty, others challenged his tone and called for solutions:
@AyodejiPopoola6: ‘BABA REST!!!! Give us solution… It’s easy to complain and claim ‘lying to ourselves.’ You have played on both sides, use your experience to better the system.’
@captain_xplora: ‘The players may not be good enough but the coach is also not good enough. Two truths can coexist.’
@Ikechukw001: ‘CHAN Eagles aren’t losing for lack of talent—they’re losing because politics picked the team, not passion.’
Others pointed fingers at the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for last-minute coaching changes, replacing Daniel Ogunmodede and Fidelis Ilechukwu with Eric Chelle, whose tactics were widely criticized.
Ideye’s comments also touched on deeper structural issues. In a recent podcast, he revealed that players at Enyimba—one of Nigeria’s most decorated clubs—receive daily allowances as low as ₦7,000–₦8,000 during away matches, with match bonuses often delayed until season’s end.
‘When I got there, that’s what I met on the ground. I couldn’t believe it,’ Ideye said.
The CHAN squad, dominated by players from Remo Stars, failed to register a single goal or point in their first two matches.
In contrast, Sudan’s team, built around Al Hilal players, showcased superior cohesion and tactical discipline. According to CAF rankings, Remo Stars didn’t even make Africa’s top 75 clubs.
Nigeria will face Congo in a dead-rubber final group game, but the conversation sparked by Ideye’s post is far from over. His call for honesty and reform has reignited scrutiny of the NPFL’s talent development, coaching standards, and administrative decisions.