Leicester City defender Ashleigh Plumptre is delighted with her achievement with Nigeria since making her debut for the West Africans.
Formerly an England youth international, Plumptre made her senior Nigeria debut in February 2022.
The 24-year-old helped the Super Falcons qualify for the 2022 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations in Morocco.
The defender also played a key role as the nine-time African champions qualify for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
“It still hasn’t really sunk in about the World Cup,” she told BBC Sport Africa.
“I never thought I would play in a World Cup, whether it was with England or Nigeria. I never thought it would be a thing.
“I remember watching the England Under-20s at the World Cup when I was about that age. I wasn’t thinking that would be me one day, and here we are. Crazy!”
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Plumptre also recalls her decision to change allegiance and approached Nigeria Football Federation herself.
“I always have to do something for a purpose,” the 24-year-old said.
“I’m somebody who is a bit different in football because I don’t just play to play it. I have to do it for a reason.
“When we won the league with Leicester I sat down with my dad and said ‘This is something I want to do’. It was actually my dad, who is my agent, who got in contact with Randy (Waldrum, head coach of the Super Falcons).”
5 Comments
*World Cup should be a Means to an End*
Ashleigh Plumptre, 24 years old, is definitely going to the world cup with Nigeria provided she stays fit and healthy and the Leicester City defensive linchpin is so looking forward to it.
“It still hasn’t really sunk in about the World Cup,” said Ashleigh.”I never thought I would play in a World Cup; here we are, crazy!”
I will advocate utilising the flamboyant defender in her natural position in a centre defensive arrangement of 3 with any of the likes of Glory Ogbonna, Onyinye Zogg, Chidima Okeke and Osinachi Ohale.
Onome Ebi should by now be content with a place on the bench as an inspirational leader.
With wingbacks like Nicole Payne, Michelle Alozie, Toni Payne, Rofiat Imruan, Joy Duru, Ayomide Ojo and Esther Adeboye (if they remain fit and flying), the back line can be more solid.
But, Ashleigh should be mindful though that qualifying for the world cup is not the main achievement and should not be seen as an end, it should be seen as a means to an end.
– a means to banish the memory of a mediocre Wafcon outing.
– a means to announce Nigeria as reputable team in women’s international football.
– a means to advance the Super Falcons’ giant killing credentials.
– a means to surpass Nigeria’s highest achievement of quarter final this time around.
It will be meaningless to go to the world cup only to make up the numbers.
The Super Falcons must make up lost grounds.
It is been a long time since Nigeria defeated a top team at the world cup – 2011 to be precise when Perpetua Ijeoma Nkwocha powered the Super Falcons to an impressive 1:0 victory against Canada in the group stages.
It is long overdue for Super Falcons fans to taste the sweet wine of such a giant killing defeat akin to the Super Eagles defeating Spain in the 1998 world cup.
So, Ashleigh, we Falcons fans are equally happy that you are going to the world cup with Nigeria.
The next step is for you and your team to make the nation proud with compelling displays against the Germanys, Englands, France, Swedens, USAs and Japans of this world.
The underwhelming 4th place finish you achieved at the Wafcon will be celebrated like a World Cup trophy if you manage to pull it off in Australia and New Zealand next year!
Deo, a 4th place finish would spark wild celebrations across the country.
With adequate preparations and no injuries, this team looks capable of making at least the quarter finals.
To achieve this, they need to:
1) Play by the rules to avoid costly cards. No holding, stamping, pushing, shoving of opponents. No fouling whatsoever, except when necessary (taking one for the team).
2) Create chances with good passes and deliveries into the box.
3) Convert a good portion of the chances created. 20% minimum. 50% would be awesome.
4) Stay super focused in every game.
5) Work hard to deny opponents space.
The importance of these reminders can’t be over emphasized. Failure to adhere to them cost us dear at the last AFCON. It would be even more costly at the world cup, where we would be up against more illustrious opponents.
Pompei and Deo you guys have said it all,if only the SF can move towards a more technical direction and application tactically married with the willingness and passion of the players to do well when wearing the shirt as well as a revamped and restructured NFF who in turn are willing to improve Nigerian football generally then maybe,just maybe those objectives set by @pompei might be a possibility otherwise I don’t know if I’ll ever believe in our country’s football again,so I’m holding out hope for the best of events which are yet to unfold. Tnx
We hope Waldrum takes out the nucleus of falconets at least 7 best performing players of the current Under 20 falconets after the World cup in Costa Rica and blends them with the Falcons to replace some of the slower and some of the older players.
Nice to see a familiar face (Nigeria) in the World Cup. We believe your new national team will do well in New Zealand