Speaking on the Play Zone podcast, Ideye alleged that a fallout with his Nigerian agent — who he claims had a close relationship with then head coach Stephen Keshi — ultimately worked against him during the selection process.
The forward, who was part of Nigeria's victorious squad at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, said his decision to part ways with his long-time agent came after choosing a more concrete transfer offer.
"I was dropped because I fired my Nigerian agent that had been with me all along," Ideye said, as quoted by Pulse Sports Nigeria.
"The West Ham deal was not giving any green light; the West Brom deal was ready to go. I went with the one that was sure, but he felt I betrayed him," he added.
Ideye believes the fallout had consequences beyond club football, suggesting personal relationships may have influenced his exclusion. "I 99.9 percent believe that's the reason why I was excluded because him and Keshi are close," he claimed.
Despite securing a then club-record £10 million move, Ideye struggled to make a lasting impact in England. He managed seven goals and two assists in 31 appearances, with his standout moment coming in an FA Cup clash against West Ham, where he netted twice in a 4-0 victory.
After just one season, West Brom sold him to Olympiacos F.C. in 2015, where he revived his form.
On the international stage, Ideye earned 28 caps and scored six goals for Nigeria between 2010 and 2016, but his absence from the 2014 World Cup remains one of the biggest talking points of his career.
Former Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has voiced fierce criticism over the recent ruling that awarded the 2025 AFCON title to Morocco, calling it "deeply troubling".
Nigeria could be on the verge of losing one of its brightest defensive prospects, with teenage centre-back Honest Ahanor now firmly in Italy's international plans after securing citizenship.
Nigeria will take part in a four-nation international tournament later this month after the Jordan Football Association confirmed that the competition has been moved from Amman to Antalya in Turkey.
Nigerian football is in mourning following the death of former Nigeria national football team midfielder Henry Nwosu, who passed away on Saturday morning at the age of 62.
