Former Super Eagles Striker, Brown Ideye, on Sunday, rejected news reports that he called for the incarceration of broke, retired footballers.

Ideye, who advised players on financial dependency, has been accused of being insensitive to the ordeal of former Nigerian footballers.

In a statement titled ‘Setting the Record Straight’, the former Super Eagles player said, “Let me be clear: These statements are completely false and misrepresent my views.”

According to the statement, he remained an advocate for footballers, adding that discussions about the welfare of footballers should be treated sensitively

“I would never suggest punitive action towards anyone who struggles financially or otherwise.

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“Instead, I advocate for focus to be on offering all necessary support, resources, training and mentorship programmes to help players/athletes navigate the transition from sports to life after the game,”

“It’s important to approach these conversations with empathy and solutions, not condemnation,” he said.

Ideye urged the media and public to refrain from circulating false statements, “This article is misleading about my person and character, and I strongly condemn it.

“I urge the public to disregard it and ask for the media to desist from false claims and publications, as such stories only bring disrepute and sow seeds of discord,” he said.

He admonished people to confirm reports before jumping to a conclusion: “School is not a scam, try to learn how to read and understand the whole story before jumping to conclusions.”