Matt won’t even let his toddler win kickabout

MATT RITCHIE admits his competitive streak means he won’t even let his son Harry win a kickabout.

“In the garden we play, and if he wants to score he has to score properly,” he said of his son, who turns three this year.

“He doesn’t win! I want to teach him to win, and what you have to do to win.”

It’s always been sink or swim in the Ritchie family.

“I have got two brothers, Jamie and Dan,” he added. “We were brought up playing all sports – football, tennis, table tennis. Whatever it was, it was play to win.

“No friendlies. My dad is the same. It is my make up.”

Thrill

Wins are also hard earned this season for Ritchie’s Newcastle, who go looking for another vital three points against Huddersfield today.

“It is intense, stressful and demanding,” added Ritchie of the Toon’s latest relegation fight. “It is relentless, but that is the thrill for me.

“The pressure is what I love. I love the feeling of people writing you off.

“You go to bed at night thinking if they lose and we win. You churn it over.

“Every footballer does it, fact. The best feeling is coming through these moments that really matter to the club and the fans.

“Nothing worth having is easily got.”

Fortified by the addition of Miguel Almiron, Jonjo Shelvey returning to fitness and the emergence of local lad Sean Longstaff, Ritchie is convinced Newcastle will stay up.

“Ten games into the season we had not won and everyone was writing us off,” he said. “I love all that. I love it when I see pundits saying Newcastle are dead and buried.

“Last season we finished 10th. We maximised ourselves as a team. We deserved credit for that.

“I support bringing in higher quality players and finishing higher. But the top six are the top six. The rest? Anything can happen, it is so tight.

“Two, three wins can be the difference.

“Is this group good enough to finish top 10 every season? No. We have to improve.

“We have to fight for every point.”