Former England youth international Ashleigh Plumptre gotten approval from FIFA to switch her allegiance to Nigeria.
Plumper, 23, who plays for Women’s Super League side Leicester City, is eligible to represent the African champions because of her father’s Nigerian heritage.
After joining training camps in Austria and Abuja, she has now been cleared by FIFA and is eligible for Nigeria’s 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations play-off against Ivory Coast in February.
“We are happy to receive Ashleigh’s official clearance from Fifa,” NFF director of communications Ademola Olajire told BBC Sport Africa.
“It was only possible because of her commitment and dedication. She made the federation’s work a lot easier by providing all the requirements in quick time.
“Ashleigh personally approached the English FA directly to get the required international clearance from that end.
“Her professionalism and unflinching desire to play for Nigeria is honestly heart-warming. That big move on her part obviously helped a lot and prevented the long wait for the FA’s response.”
Plumptre, who has a British mother, had been capped 30 times by England at youth level but qualified for Nigeria through the grandparent rule.
The centre-back needed to prove her eligibility and dedicated three months to acquiring all the required documents – a Nigerian passport and her grandfather’s documents and then officially requesting clearance from the four home nations (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales) as well from Nigerian internal affairs.
“She got all the documents in a few months without being forced or persuaded,” Olajire added.
“We’ve been through this Fifa process with other players in the past and others needed to be reminded. Ashleigh made personal sacrifices to ensure a smooth clearance.”
Plumptre joins a growing list of foreign-born players like Michelle Alozie, Patricia George and Nicole and Toni Payne, who all opted to represent the nine-time African champions.
She has played 25 games this season for Leicester women’s side which she first joined as an eight-year-old.
She previously played in the English top flight with Notts County in 2014 before moving to the United States.
Stints with US college side USC Trojans and LA Galaxy followed, before she returned from studying in January 2020 to play a key role in a memorable season for Leicester.
After she helped the Foxes to the FA Women’s Championship title in 2020-21, Plumptre was voted player of the season and rewarded with a new two-year deal.
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COMMENTS
So what is holding Lookman and Ejaria now cos they have been on the switching process for over fours now..who is to blame? lookman ? For not providing all the papers or NFF for forwarding the necessary papers ..We need Look before the world cup qualifiers cos the key may just be look as it was with vm
Let’s celebrate this good news.
I’m so happy to hear this. Welcome my sister.
God bless you.
GOd bless Nigeria
The NFF should swing into and ensure that FIFA clears the duo of Ademola Lookman and Ejaria for the upcoming world qualifiers in March.
The tribal Cabal who have been vbeen selecting players from their own tribe will not allow Lukamon to swith.
“We’ve been through this before. Others needed to be reminded.”
This is deep and a pointer to why clearing some players takes so much time. This piece provides a clue to how foreign born Nigerian players get cleared for the country. A lot lie with the players than even the FA. Imagine securing one’s parent’s or grandparent’s documents as condition for changing allegiance? What if the grandparents are dead a long time ago and the papers are no where to be found? How did Moses get his case sorted with his parents born, bred and dead in Nigeria. This aspect of the clearance is quite interesting. Does Lookman has to be reminded too to get him cleared for us? Which of the British countries is still delaying him? A lot of questions. Congrats to Ashleigh,though. You just earned more respect from me today. May God reward those “personal sacrifices in your journey with the Super Falcons.
Impressive!
It just shows how inconsistent and the level of incompetence in the administration of Amaju Pinnick NFF. It took less than six months to clear the Falcon player but in the case of Lookman and Ovie it is still an ongoing process after more than two years. Pinnick did not merit being a member of FIFA or CAF because his membership has not significantly benefits Nigeria. The case of Enyimba is another vivid example. We are watching and recording events.
What exactly is wrong with us Nigerians? The message in the piece up here is so deep yet very simple as to what the process of switching nationality entails and what part the player who intends to switch has to play but someone is still spewing garbage just because he wants to write.
#comprehension
Me just weak my brother, the message up there is literally indirectly telling us why lookman and others switch have been delayed, and to imagine somebody still lay all the blames on the foot of the NFF is sadden, are we now saying NFF speedy plumptre switch and intentionally delay that if lookman? We should give this people some space please, they are human just like me and you.
It’s the right thing to do. I’m so happy she’s representing the African champions. I commend FIFA for their decision
Yep. It’s easier to kick a person who’s already down. Everybody wants to hurl expletives at Nigeria. Because it takes the focus away from our personal shortcomings.
It’s important always to follow up a story and be able to pick out the essentials. The story of Ashleigh is clear and insightful. It all happened quickly because she was committed. Let our boys show same commitment and do the needful if they genuinely want the switch. The NFF should push hard on them on those aspects only the players are expected to handle. It doesn’t make sense passing undeserved blame.
Point Proven NFF and Pinnick are the liars in the Lookman and Ejaria fifa clearance. Like I always said the truth will always prevail in the end. What rubbish NFF really they are getting worse. It is clear Pinnick has made gis money and Greed is clouding his judgements my people this man named Amaju Melvin Pinnick does not have Nigeria’s best interest at heart
This girl is a defender if im not mistaken. I hope she is very good because the falcons need some fresh players injected into the team pronto. The aged players in the team are just not helping the team grow to the level they should be by now.
These nff guys think they can fool everybody by cooking up lies.. The statement about Plumtre moving files around is part of the gimmicks to shift attention from their dirty games and corrupt means…
It is very clear that Lookman and Ejaria are interested in playing for SE but the nff is responsible for the delay in clearance..
It took Canada and Germany FAs less than 6months to get FIFA clearance for Ugbo and Musala..
Pinick is only on the CAF and FIFA executive for his personal gains. Imagine Enyimba getting kicked out CAF competition unfairly..
This is probably the worst football administration.
The process is very clear and simple. When the NFF makes a request to Fifa, the player has to show that he/she is willing for the switch. Firstly by going to the country, they have represented before for a release, then provide documents that link them to Nigeria. If the player is not following up on the process at his/her end, it can not be done quickly. You and I know that those players may have initiated the process but still hoping and waiting for a call to the national team of the country they represented before. Ashleigh made it loud and clear, that she wants to represent Nigeria and she played her part.NFF`s is rather passive in this process, as they can not be acting as if they are putting pressure on the player. Fifa is a white-dominant organization so they can not just release players for us to catch up with them like that. They will definitely be looking for loopholes to deny the player.
Can you provide a reference for this explanation ?
Bro, I think you also need to explain how certain you are, the details about the lies/gimmicks of NFF in securing clearance for Ejaria/Lookman. You sound so certain about this. I’m interested.
Of course, Pinnick-led NFF has lost almost all, if not all the respect that there is for an F.A, and maybe deservingly so. However, pls enlighten me the more on these lies/gimmicks you referred to. Thanks.
If we want to criticize let’s do so with common sense. The process has just been explained in the passage yet some of you are still shouting bff nff as if you are also perfect in your own life endeavour.
It is obvious that much of the work lies with the player who wants to switch than the FA. It is the player that has a knot on his ankle which he needs to loose in order to free himself.
Thanks my brother! Our mindset is blunt based on circumstances bedeviling our country,we think and believe, there is no more due process even in other countries which is not true.You have just hit the nail on the head.
Speculations can not stand nor mistaken for the truth.
At least this lays to rest the comic insinuations by ignoramuses that international switches takes just 2 weeks and insinuations by the NFF that international switches (like those of Lookman and Ejaria) takes 3 years.
The truth is that if everyone plays their parts, an international switch should only last 4-6 months. 2 months to determine the authenticity of your claims to the country you wanna switch to….2 months to determine your eligibility to indeed switch…..and 2 months to establish the fact that your a now a bonafide, identity documents-backed citizen of the country you are switching to.
Anything beyond that is plain seriousness and incompetence. The NFF should quit their grandstanding, as if they are blameless in all of the mess in our football.
Most times, they even go to press with lies that a player has switched allegiance when even a single letter has not been typed to that effect yet.
@Dr Drey, you are right. All I want from the NFF is for them to always be pro-active and not just reacting to events. These change of nationalities are done in other countries without stress and within the shortest time. Why are is our own always different? As for me this is tracable to administration which is why I will continue putting the blame on NFF period.
I love this. I am so happy. You’re highly welcome. Our own dear Ashleigh Plumptre. We love ❤ you
Honestly,I don’t see the reason Kelvin Akpogumah was not invited to the nations cup cos he’s a regular in his team and as well plays a good football.Ajayi recently stays on the bench in the English championship league and yet was invited, anyway let’s watch and see how the whole things will unfold as I wish the Super Eagles the best of luck..
The tribal Cabal who have been vbeen selecting players from their own tribe will not allow Lukamon to switch.
A very good news really and worthy to be emulated by others but I hope that Nigeria will not disappoint her later for her to say, had she known!