‘I haven’t been that Brown Ideye that people know’

Nigeria international, Brown Ideye, admits that he has not been the player he would have loved to be since his big-money move to West Bromwich Albion but hopes he will be given the chance to prove himself.

Ideye became West Brom’s record signing when they coughed out £10 million to bring the 26-year-old to the Hawthorns from Dynamo Kiev last summer.

With just two goals in 14 Barclays Premier League games – mainly as a substitute – Ideye has been a disappointment so far.

And it was even reported that West Brom were willing to cut their losses and sell the striker to Qatari club Al Gharafa during the January window, but the deal fell through.

Now, the player has done a personal appraisal and found himself wanting.

“I never thought I was going to leave West Brom for a club in Qatar. I haven’t really started playing football for West Brom so I think I should have more time,” he said.

“I’ve been having a lot of support from the fans and people at the club so I don’t think now should be the time for me to leave.

“People can say what they want; they have the right to do that. Since I came here I haven’t been that Brown Ideye that people know and I feel bad about it. This is England and if you’re not giving your best, people talk. I think they are right in everything they say.

“I should be on top of my game but it’s not possible for you to be on top of your game when you’re sitting on the bench so I just have to keep pushing on, even if I only have 10 or 15 minutes in the game. I have to prove myself.”

Ideye, who rescued a point for his club against Burnley over the weekend when he came off the bench and headed in the equaliser that earned Tony Pulis’ side a 2-2 draw, can’t wait to score more goals.

“I’ve been waiting for this moment,” he said.

“As a striker I like to score goals in every game and I don’t see why it’s not possible for me to start from now doing what people believed from me.

“I came here to score goals and I hope this will just be the start. It was an important goal and I think that said it all.”

The point was enough to lift West Brom out of the relegation zone and they can move up on the log with a win over Swansea on Wednesday.