Former Nigerian forward, Brown Ideye, shared an amusing anecdote about his move to the Chinese Super League team, Tianjin TEDA, revealing his wife’s enthusiastic reaction upon seeing the financial terms of the deal.
In a post on his X.com account, Ideye, a 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) winner, recounted how his plans to move to China were unexpectedly altered by the lucrative offer from TEDA. Despite initially having no intention of playing in China, the financial incentives changed his perspective.
“I had no plans to go to China,” Ideye wrote. “Olympiacos received an offer from TEDA which they couldn’t refuse. My agent negotiated my salary and bonuses with TEDA. When I saw the long numbers and told my wife, she packed my luggage for me to leave the next day LOL…”
The 36-year-old forward, who previously played for teams including Dynamo Kyiv and West Bromwich Albion, described how his wife’s reaction was swift and supportive once she saw the financial terms. The move to China, though, was fraught with difficulties, as Ideye later disclosed in an interview with The PUNCH in 2019.
In the interview, Ideye revealed that his time in China was challenging. He faced difficulties adapting to the new environment, including training with the youth team despite not breaching any rules, and struggled with the cultural differences and injuries.
“I don’t pray for any footballer to go through all that I experienced this past year in China,” Ideye said. “Thank God I’m back in the game and psychologically I have put that behind me. I need to pick up well from where I stopped and focus on my new club and hopefully do better.”
Ideye’s stint at Tianjin TEDA was marked by a series of setbacks. He struggled with adjusting to the language and culture, and despite the high expectations, his performances did not meet the club’s standards. This led to the club signing a new player in his position and eventually loaning him out.
“The issue I had in China was that there is this rule that every six months, they had to reshuffle the team. It was really difficult for me—the language, the players, not having good food,” Ideye explained. “It took me time to really adjust to the Chinese league, and with all the expectations from the fans and the team.”
Ideye’s reflections on his experience in China come at a time when Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen is also facing uncertainty regarding his future, adding another layer of intrigue to the ongoing developments in Nigerian football.