Bournemouth star Matt Ritchie taking game to new highs with Scotland

Matt Ritchie has risen from League One to the Premier League with Bournemouth

MATT RITCHIE believes playing for Scotland and in the English Premier League has helped take his game to a new level.

 

Scotland’s Euro 2016 hopes may have taken a bit of a hit with defeats against Georgia and Germany, but even that could not wipe the smile of the 25-year-old’s face.

“It can only improve your game playing with top players,” said Ritchie. “At Bournemouth, we have signed a lot of players with Premier League experience.

“I am playing with good players there and I then come up to Scotland and I play alongside other top players who are playing at the highest level. 

“Playing at those sorts of levels can only help me improve.”

 

It has been a whirlwind 12 months for Ritchie, rubbing shoulders with the world elite for club and country, as he did on Monday against world champions Germany at Hampden.

“It was a pleasure to be involved in that game although it was disappointing not to take anything from it,” he said.

“Hopefully we can come back with a positive mental attitude and get some points from the Poland game.

“To try and keep Germany quiet for 90 minutes was always going to be tough. We did well in the first half, and although they scored the two goals they didn’t have that many clear-cut chances that I can remember.”