The inside story of Matt Ritchie's impending Portsmouth exit with Newcastle United favourite set to depart
The bombshell news of Pompey homegrown favourite Matt Ritchie’s impending exit dropped today. Blues writer Jordan Cross gives his take on developments from Slovakia.
It was five years ago Matt Ritchie first outlined his desire for a Pompey homecoming to The News.
‘To play for Portsmouth was a dream - and I do feel I’ve got unfinished business there, for sure,’ the Gosport lad exclusively told The News in April 2020.
Why Newcastle United favourite’s Pompey exit is now inevitable
‘In my head my next challenge is definitely to play for Portsmouth again - and have an impact. Certainly for me I want to play - and I want to go back there and make an impact.
‘I don’t want to come back and do one of those where I’m finished and my legs have gone.
‘That’s not how I want to do it. I want to come back, offer something and have an impact. I want to be part of a success story at Portsmouth, for sure.'
The stars finally aligned last summer to make his off-on return a reality, with the Newcastle United man’s conditioning assuring he made good on his ambition to come home with juice still in the tank at 35.
And, after the academy graduate was afforded time to get up to speed, it was clear this was a return not just based on romanticism but the practical value Ritchie had to offer.
It meant pragmatism won as the football operation diverted from their policy of buying young talent to improve, instead recognising the value of someone who’d raise standards maintained in a career at the game’s highest echelons.
Captain Marlon Pack spoke of someone who would drive the levels he himself demanded, but, with Ritchie’s career going to the top potentially raising the bar even higher than he could.
Yet perhaps we are seeing a couple of fundamental differences between the modus operandi of the pair, which has seen us today arrive at the news Ritchie’s homecoming isn’t set to extend beyond this summer.
Today’s developments are already being weaponised by those who seek to use The News breaking details of Ritchie’s impending exit to suit their agendas.
A player who wants to play - and a promise Mousinho couldn’t make
Forget finances and budget cuts, Ritchie isn’t actually among this squad’s top earners, this was a decision based upon the player looking for assurances Pompey just couldn’t give him.
There may be a few extraneous factors, but at the crux of the matter is the former Bay House student wanting to be playing football, with every minute valuable in the twilight of his career.
No doubt this would have been broached when Mousinho met individually with his players and talked about their pathways moving forward, in the wake of last season’s conclusion.
From Pompey’s position it would not have been practical or realistic to make promises over starts, ahead of Ritchie’s 36th birthday in September.
The former Bournemouth man maintains an incredible level of fitness for a player of his age, one nurtured by incredible levels of commitment to his craft.
That allowed Ritchie to relentlessly lead the press so important to Mousinho’s men turning their Championship season around. Yet, and perhaps his output was a big factor, there was a noticeable drop off in levels after an hour of the games he started.
But you don’t get to the heights the winger has soared to in his career without having a particular kind of driven mind-set which has allowed him achieve such success.
And it’s that same mentality which will tell Ritchie he can’t settle for not being in the starting XI every week when his playing time is so precious.
So we then arrive at the situation which means the academy graduate didn’t board the plane to Slovakia at the end of last week, with a new club now his target.
That, it’s believed could see Ritchie go up against his hometown club next term with Championship sides among those interested.
A player who values every minute and a Pompey exit now best for all
Mousinho would have liked to keep Ritchie and valued his contribution to making Pompey a premium second-tier side at relentlessly turning the ball over, but couldn’t make the promises to the player he sought.
It was interesting to hear Pack talk about facing up to similar challenges his mate is currently dealing with when it comes to Pompey playing time.
‘My role doesn’t change whether I’m starting, on the bench or not in the squad,’ Pack told The News in April, amid an eight-game run on the bench at the season’s climax. ‘If I’m on the bench and I come on then great, if not it’s how can I maximise the opportunity I have?
'Also, because I’m here at this club, the natural disappointment I feel as a player isn’t as strong as it may be elsewhere because of the affiliation.
‘For me here I take away any personal disappointment from not playing, I want what’s best for the football club first and foremost.
‘Of course I want to play, I’m an individual who wants to win and play but I know I can gain other aspects when I’m not playing.'
Perhaps, and it’s absolutely not a criticism, this is a pathway Ritchie would find more challenging to tread. And, if that’s the case, a parting of ways would now be best for all concerned.
It’s not the romantic conclusion to his Pompey return we all would’ve loved to see for one of our own, but it’s now the right one.