Newcastle United winger Matt Ritchie has insisted that the Magpies’ squad does care about Premier League survival, and that they are hungry for success.
The Toon Army currently lie 16th in the table, just one point above safety, but the Scottish international claims that he and his colleagues are ready to fight for their top flight status.
Speaking to the Chronicle, he said: “It would be silly to think that we don’t care.
“Every player is playing for themselves, their futures, or whatever they have for themselves – but we also understand we are at a big football club in Newcastle United.
“We want success and success in different places is different. For us, to stay in the Premier League is success. We need to keep working the way we have done.”
OPINION
If Newcastle do go down this season, there will be no questioning that they put up a fight. For all of Rafa Benitez’s tactical nous, and for all the record signing of Miguel Almiron might act as an elaborate diversion technique, this squad is still fundamentally a Championship side for the most part, and yet their willingness to battle and the blunt refusal accept their fate could be the min thing that keeps them up. Without that guile, and without Benitez, they would probably be in a whole world of trouble, but you can’t help feeling that for all of their shortcomings, they still have enough to stagger over the line to safety. So much of that comes from mentality, but whereas with other clubs that may be engendered unity from the top down, the shambolic ownership means that Magpies seem to be pulling together in spite of the powers that be. That is admirable.