Myles Smith hails ‘unbelievable’ Ashleigh Plumptre after impactful Al-Ittihad start

By Wale Mustapha

Assistant Manager of Al-Ittihad, Myles Smith has disclosed that getting Nigerian defender, Ashley Plumptre to join the club was a huge bargain to the Saudi Arabian Women’s Premier League outfti.

The Super Falcons left back had joined the Saudi Arabia club from Leicester City in August to continue her professional career in the Middle East and she opened her campaign with a hat-trick on her debut when Al-Ittihad humbled Eastern Flames by 3-0 on Saturday.

The 25-year-old shone at the last FIFA Women’s World Cup where she helped Nigeria reached the Round of 16 stage and Smith feels signing a high-profile player like Plumptre was massive boost to their season ambition.

“Is it a huge boost to have her here? Definitely, first of all, she’s an unbelievable person and an unbelievable footballer as well,” Smith told media.

“She was somebody that we identified quite early on and the club did an amazing job in getting the deal done.”

According to Smith, with a player like Plumptre, Al Ittihad will be able to conquer women’s football not only in Saudi Arabia but in Asian football and are not to ready to settle for less.

“We want to write history here,” Smith, 29, said of her master plan in the Saudi port city of Jeddah,” she continued.

“We want to win the league. We want to win the cup. We want to be in the Asian Champions League. We want to win that as well, you don’t take any job in sports to finish second.”