My injury woes nearly made me commit suicide – Ifeanyi Udeze, ex-Super Eagles player

•I got injured playing for Nigeria in 2005, but NFF never offered any help

He was one of the youngest players to have played for the Super Eagles. He was enjoying the limelight until things turned around and he found himself in a very difficult situation.

Ifeanyi Udeze told Sports Stars that the harrowing experience he went through almost made him commit suicide then.

“I went through a lot. Our people are quick to talk when someone faces challenges. But I thank God for my life today.”

Can you give us your early life and your football development?

My name is Ifeanyi Udeze. My early life was okay, just like that of any other kid. At an early stage, I didn’t really play football seriously. I played on and off until a coach we called Coach Appians at the Navy Barracks in Ajegunle came on board and started training us.

Nigerians got to notice you from your days at Bendel Insurance. Where did the journey start?

Like I said, my journey started at Navy Barracks, where we trained as young players. Fanny discovered me and brought me into the national team setup. We then went to play the Meridian Cup in 1997 (January/February), which we won—the first ever Meridian Cup. After that, I returned to Nigeria and signed for Bendel Insurance.

Fanny Amun was invited by Henry Nwosu to watch us train at Ajegunle (Jigule). At that time, Fanny was the U-17 national team coach. This was in 1995. He watched us and picked me. That was how I joined the U-17 national team that was supposed to play the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 1997. Unfortunately, when we were about to play a qualifying game against Benin Republic in Ibadan, the Nigerian FA forgot our passports in Lagos, so we were disqualified. That was how we missed the U-17 World Cup in 1997.

Tell us about your movement to Greece. And why Greece of all the countries to start your career abroad?

I moved to Greece because, after signing for Bendel Insurance, I played about four or five games and then Kavala FC came. I decided to take the opportunity. I didn’t want to wait for a bigger team in Belgium, France, Germany, or Italy—I just took my chance. I signed for Kavala and played there from 1997 to 2000. Then PAOK came for me, and I signed for them.

You were to play in Italy for Juventus but it didn’t work out. What really happened?

I was supposed to sign with Juventus in 2001, but the deal didn’t go through because they approached it through the backdoor. After a friendly game in London (I think 2002), against Paraguay or Uruguay—I can’t remember exactly—Juventus came to discuss with me. They wanted me to fly with them immediately after the game to Italy to sign.

I told them it doesn’t work like that. My manager wasn’t there. They said I should forget about my agent, that they would handle everything. I asked about PAOK; they said I shouldn’t worry, that after I signed, they would handle everything with PAOK. I said no—that’s not how it works. You have to negotiate with PAOK first before I sign.

Their plan was for me to follow them to Italy, sign, and then they would go to PAOK and show them I had signed, forcing PAOK to accept whatever they offered. Otherwise, they would take it to FIFA and I would be banned, meaning I couldn’t play for PAOK or for them. I understood the game they wanted to play and declined.

The then president of Juventus (he’s late now) called me immediately and said they had a private jet at Gatwick waiting for me—that I should just jump on the plane, and everything would be fine. I still said no: go and negotiate with PAOK first; then you can come to me. After PAOK’s approval, I would fly to Italy to negotiate. That’s how it works. The deal failed.

You later played in England with West Brom. Was that what you wanted or just to play in one of the biggest leagues in Europe?

I went to West Brom on loan—still a PAOK player—on a six-month loan. After the loan, West Brom wanted to retain me, but they were relegated to the Championship at the end of that season. My club, PAOK, said I should come back; they didn’t want me playing in the second division. Personally, I told them I wanted to stay and play for West Brom in the Championship, but PAOK said no. I still had a contract, so I returned to PAOK.

Any career regret either while in Greece or England?

Career regrets? The only real regret was the injury I had at my peak. It was sad and crazy. That’s the real regret—nothing more.

You joined the Super Eagles at a very young age. How was the feeling? And were you afraid you might not make it, considering the stars like Celestine Babayaro already in the team?

I joined the Super Eagles at a very young age. When I got there, I was a bit afraid because I saw the likes of Nwankwo Kanu, Jay-Jay Okocha, Finidi George, Celestine Babayaro, Taribo West, Sunday Oliseh—top players. I was a little afraid, but I was born and brought up in Ajegunle, where we don’t fear; we face our fears. It was tough, but I wasn’t afraid to fight for a place in the team. I knew that someday I would get into the first team because I knew the quality I possessed.

What kind of relationship did you have with Babayaro and other big boys in the national team?

My relationship with Babayaro has been good—till today. He’s my brother for life. Great guy, great personality. Some senior players tried to cause issues between us, but Celestine personally came to me before a match and said: “Udeze, don’t let anyone come between us. You’re a good player; I like how you play.” I told him I liked how he plays too.

I was very fortunate. In my first game against Zambia, Celestine didn’t honour the invitation. That’s how I got to start. When I found out I was starting, I beat my chest and said, ‘Today is my day.’ I had to prove to the whole world that I’m a very good player. I played against Zambia, and the rest was history. He said if he starts any game, I should support him; if I start, he’ll support me. We shook hands, he brought juice from his fridge, poured two glasses, and we toasted to our agreement. Great guy—my brother for life.

You last game for the Super Eagles was in Kano against Angola and you were injured. What went through your mind? Were you crying or lamenting?

My last game for the Super Eagles was against Angola in a 2006 World Cup qualifier, played in 2005 in Kano. That was where I first got my injury. I felt bad—we didn’t qualify for Germany 2006. It was painful and crazy, but that’s football. I cried and got really angry because that was the beginning of my injury troubles. It was sad.

At a time it was reported that you were broke, that you were evicted from your Festac Town house, that Joseph Yobo and Yakubu Aiyegbeni were the ones assisting you pay your rents etc. It was even alleged that you relocated to your father’s house in Ajegunle. How true and how difficult was that?

When people say I was broke or evicted from my Festac home—it’s funny. Let me be 100 per cent honest: when you have an injury and keep spending money on treatment, you can become broke. If you have, say, 500 million, and you keep spending on treatment, it can come down to 100 million—that’s the truth. I was spending money on my injury.

I also had an issue—I left my Festac home because I wanted to get away from a lot of people. I found out that my stepbrother and my former best friend were the ones hurting me. They went to the media spreading stories. Life is crazy. My stepbrother – I spent a lot of money to help him in Europe: house rent, shop rent, and documents. I didn’t know he was jealous.

When you’re playing, you have many friends—people pretend to love you. When you stop playing or get injured, you see people’s true colours, including family and friends. My former best friend, Ibrahim Mohammed, I introduced him to my friends. He went to Yakubu Aiyegbeni and started lying that I was gossiping about him to Patrick Ovie. God knows I was trying to make peace between Patrick and Yakubu—they had issues then.

Ibrahim wanted to gain from Yakubu and lied. Yakubu believed him. That’s how stories started about me being broke and unable to pay rent. Before God and man, when I had my injuries, the only people who assisted me were Joseph Yobo and Emmanuel Emenike. I will say it anywhere. Where did the story come from that Yakubu assisted me with anything? Nothing.

Ibrahim was just looking for what to eat. When he realised he couldn’t gain from me anymore, he switched to Yakubu—whom he met through me—and he’s still with Yakubu today. The only people that assisted me when I had injury: Joseph Yobo and Emmanuel Emenike. Also, at one point, Julius Aghahowa bought tickets for me when I was about to travel to Belgium for medical checks. May God bless these three people.

Nobody paid my house rent—nobody. I own a six-bedroom duplex. Who paid rent for me? When I had issues, I just needed to get away from a lot of problems. When I had my injury, nobody knew I almost committed suicide – almost. I went through a lot. But our people are quick to talk when someone faces challenges. It’s wrong. I thank God for my life today.

When I was playing for Nigeria, nobody gave me a dime to support my injury. The NFF did not support me. My father died around the time we were playing a qualifier against Ghana in Port Harcourt. I came into Nigeria on Sunday and was to report to camp on Monday. That Sunday, my father had a fire (generator) accident and was taken to LUTH. I went there and saw him dying on the hospital bed.

My father told me to make sure I took that stepbrother out. He also told me to go and play—that he wanted to hear that we qualified for the 2002 World Cup. I didn’t want to leave him in that state, but he insisted. I went to camp on Monday evening, played the game on Saturday, and when I returned to Lagos on Sunday, I learned my father had passed away. NFF did not support me for the burial; nothing. Even with my injury, nobody supported me.

The only people who came through when I had the injury—God is my witness—were Joseph Yobo and Emmanuel Emenike, and Julius Aghahowa (who bought my ticket to Belgium for medical check-up). May God bless these three people. Where did the story come from that Yakubu paid my rent? If he did, let my generation perish. He didn’t. People just spread fake news without verification.

They even said I take drugs – hard drugs, cocaine. I swear in heaven: if I used my money to buy cocaine, may God punish me. But if people lied against me because they could no longer gain from me, may God pay them back accordingly. I don’t even know what cocaine is.

I also started an oil company. I took a loan against one of my houses to fund it. Unfortunately, the same “friend” and an in-law I brought in as my second-in-command betrayed me. I travelled to Dubai for holiday, before I returned, he had run away with ₦350 million. The matter is with SFU (Special Fraud Unit) to this day.

He told our manager that, whenever I wasn’t around, payments should go to his personal account instead of the company account. Sometimes it’s crazy how people act. But at the end, we give all glory to God. He ran away with ₦350m. I had him arrested by the SFU; the case is still there.

People can say whatever they want, but in the end, only God has power. Nobody else.

You’re now a football analyst with Brila FM. How are you enjoying being a pundit from being an actor?

Yes, I’m now a football analyst with Brila FM. All thanks to Dr Larry Izamoje. He’s like an elder brother to me. When I remember how I started punditry, sometimes I smile. I played football, and after football, life must go on. You see ex-internationals in England doing punditry too. Life goes on.

He called me one day and said: “You grew up in Ajegunle. Come on board; we’ll give you a 30-minute segment to analyse football in Pidgin.” I was shy at first. He assured me I could do it. After a few weeks, he called again. I went to his office, we talked, and today the rest is history. I’m really enjoying the punditry work. All kudos to Dr. Larry Izamoje.

Who was your role model as a football player?

My role model as a player was Roberto Carlos. I looked up to him and learned a lot from him. People used to say, “Udeze has speed,” but they didn’t know how I prepared. I gave myself extra work: running with tires tied to my waist, stair runs, beach runs—everything to increase my speed. If you want something, you must work for it.

I also looked up to Benedict Iroha—very confident and intelligent with the ball. Maybe not the fastest, but his confidence and intelligence were top. I learned that from him. He was one of the best – if not the best – left-backs Nigeria has ever had. I’m technical, wise, and smart. I learned those qualities from Benedict Iroha.
(The Sun)