Ashleigh Plumptre, a defender for the Super Falcons, has revealed why she isn’t playing for her country, as worries among supporters have grown.
The Al-Ittihad standout last competed for Nigeria in Australia and New Zealand at the Women’s World Cup.
Plumptre represented the Falcons in all four World Cup games and was considered one of the competition’s best players.
After her contract with Leicester City expired, many clubs vying for her services were drawn to her outstanding performance in the Mundial.
The 25-year-old joined Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia and despite her bright start to life in the Middle East; the defender has been absence from the Falcons team missing all their three games played post-World Cup.
Plumptre’s absence has raised concerns among her followers and the defender in an interview with Nigeria Football said it was a personal decision.
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“I guess it has been a break. I haven’t been able to go to the upcoming, camp, like I said, it’s more of a personal decision while I take care of my body,” she told Nigeria Football.
“But ultimately, I want to be fun with the team. It’s a privilege. And I want to be in the best physical condition to be able to go and compete in important games.
“And I feel like right now, I have complete trust and faith in the team. I will be watching the game while I am here, but I want to get to a point where I can compete maximally and provide as much as I can to the team in the best condition.”
On her future with the Falcons, Plumptre said she hoped to return to the squad.
“It’s like the first or second time or they haven’t had much experience with the senior team,” Plumptre said.
“Hopefully give them a chance as well. And to be seen, at the top level, I think that’s really important. So, yeah, I’ll be supporting the girls from afar.”
Plumptre has made a name for herself in the Middle East, winning Player of the Month in October and scoring a hat-trick in her competitive debut with Al-Ittihad.
