MATT RITCHIE’S lack of first-team football in the latter stages of his Newcastle United career is hampering his attempts to establish himself at Portsmouth.

Ritchie left Newcastle as a free agent in the summer, ending an eight-year spell on Tyneside by heading to the south coast to join newly-promoted Pompey as they prepared for life in the Championship.

However, while the winger has been fit all season, his only Portsmouth start came back in August. He has only played 120 minutes of Championship football all campaign, and was an unused substitute in three of Pompey’s last five matches.

Given Portsmouth’s struggles in the relegation zone – the club currently sit 23rd in the Championship table, having failed to win any of their opening five matches – Ritchie’s lack of involvement is something of a surprise.

However, while Pompey boss John Mousinho is confident the 35-year-old still has the technical qualities needed to play in the second tier, he has suggested he currently lacks the physical sharpness needed to survive the rough and tumble of life in the Championship.

And Mousinho has suggested Ritchie’s lack of match action in the latter stages of his Newcastle career is costing him dear. The former Scotland international made just one start in all competitions in the whole of last season, and only mustered two starts and eight substitute appearances in the previous campaign.

“Matt Ritchie is close to getting into the team,” said Mousinho, ahead of his side’s weekend trip to QPR. “The challenge for him is to really impress in training and to really impress when he gets his chance to come into games.

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“Something we are continually working on with Matt is the physical side and making sure he is up to pace with our style of football and up to pace with Championship football.

“We know he has all the quality there, but when you have spent a couple of years not having played a huge amount of games, that is a really big challenge.

“Matt has been amazing around the place, he’s been a brilliant signing, and we are really happy to have him. He’s challenging for a spot in the side, that’s the way I put it.

“We are not holding him back on account of anything at the moment, he is definitely challenging for a starting place. The quicker we can get Matt firing the better.”