Super Falcons defender, Ashleigh Plumptre, has opened the lid on her absence from the national team following growing concerns among fans in the country.
Al-Ittihad star last featured for Nigeria at the Women’s World Cup which took place in Australia and New Zealand.
At the World Cup, Plumptre played all the Falcons four games and was regarded as one the most outstanding players at the tournament.
Her impressive performance at the Mundial saw a host of clubs jostle for her service following the expiration of her contract with Leicester City.
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.
“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 hit the ground running in the Middle East scoring a hat-trick on her competitive debut for Al-Ittihad while she won the Player of the Month award for October.
