Big Interview – Newcastle United’s on-loan winger Christian Atsu

By Chris Dunlavy

CHRISTIAN Atsu breaks into a grin when I ask if he has any brothers or sisters in Ada Foah, the Accra suburb he left at the age of 17.

“You really want to know?” laughs Newcastle's on-loan Chelsea winger. “Well, I come from a very big family. I have six brothers and four sisters. So, with my two parents there were 13 of us. We had very little, but we were happy.”

Family is important to Atsu. It is now seven years since he arrived at Porto as a wide-eyed teenager, but he returns home to Ghana every international break.

“I also speak with them every week,” he says. “I will never forget my family and my friends. It takes a lot of hard work and the grace of God to reach this level, but I couldn't have done it without their support.”

Which is why, amid the home cooking and reunions, Atsu always makes sure to visit another place close to his heart.

Becky's Home is an orphanage in Senya Beraku, a small town 60km down the coast from Ghana's capital city, Accra.

Founded in 2012, the foundation rescues orphaned children from the clutches of traffickers, who would otherwise sell them as slaves to work on farms and fishing boats. Once safely within its walls, they are provided with food, clothes and an education.

Atsu is an ambassador for Arms Around The Child, a charity devoted to raising awareness of the 48 million orphans living in sub-Saharan Africa.

Yet, speaking to him among  hordes of adoring schoolchildren at a half-term academy day in Gosforth, it is clear his involvement is no chore.

“I have always wanted to inspire others,” explains the 24-year-old, whose last visit to Becky's took in everything from delivering toilet rolls, food and books to helping young students learn to read.

“Every time I am in Ghana, I go to the orphanage to see how things are going. They are always really excited to see me.

“There are a lot of people living in Ghana in extreme adversity and I want to bring them some happiness.

“I want to give these children hope of a brighter future because that is what my parents gave to me.

“My childhood was difficult. Life in Africa is not easy. We had very little money, very little food. For everyone in Ghana, every day is a struggle. But I had my parents around. You can imagine how much harder it would be if you were alone.

“Too many people have neglected these children. Too many people pushed them away. That is why I do this. I want to give these children food, an education. Most of all, I want to make them smile.”

For Atsu, the easiest way to do that is with a ball.

Becky's Home has a football team and, to that end, the kids at Gosforth – after they've finished clamouring for an autograph – have donated Newcastle kit to the cause.

“You see today what it means to children when a footballer is here,” he says. “Over there, it is even more.

“I play football with them, make jokes with them. That is why I took the jerseys from Newcastle to give to them.

“They will be very happy to know that Newcastle is supporting them. We will have a lot of fans there now. I will take a picture and post it and you will see what it means to them.”

Though insignificant by contrast, Atsu has had struggles of his own. Trained at Feyenoord's academy in Accra, he was plucked away by Porto for a new life in Portugal at 17.

“When I went to Portugal, it was really difficult,” he admits. “New weather, new food. I had to make new friends as well. These were all things I had never faced before.

“I left everyone, but that was for my life now. Sometimes you have to leave what you love to make things better in the future. I knew what I was looking for and that gave me strength.”

After six goals in 27 games for Rio Ave, Atsu played 17 times for Porto. Impressed by his rapier pace and dribbling skills, Chelsea shelled out £3.5m in 2013.

A loan spell with Dutch side Vitesse Arnhem appeared to confirm the Blues had unearthed a gem. Atsu played 30 times as Peter Bosz's side qualified for the Europa League.

Since then, however, progress has stalled. Stints at Everton and Bournemouth yielded a total of five games. Coaches at those clubs told Chelsea the winger was simply too lightweight to compete in the top flight.

“I struggled a lot when I first came to England,” he admits. “It is very difficult when you come from a club that always has the ball, that always wants to play.

“In Portugal, in Holland, you start from the goalkeeper and everybody gets time on the ball. You pass, pass, pass. It is all about possession and not many players are really tough. In England, everyone is very strong and powerful, especially the defenders.

“Football is so different here that I couldn't run with the ball, I couldn't defend, I couldn't go forwards. I couldn't do any of the things that Chelsea had bought me for.”

If last season's 12-game spell at Malaga suggested the Blues had given up on Atsu, his deadline day arrival at St James' Park represents a final, sink-or-swim chance to show he can cut the English mustard.

Certainly, there is no tougher proving ground than the Championship, and three starts from the last five games – including a winner in the 1-0 victory over Rotherham – is solid progress.

“I am adapting,” insists Atsu, whose Chelsea contract expires in 2018. “I could see what was wrong and it was just a case of making steps forward each and every day.

“The good thing is that Rafa (Benitez, the Newcastle manager), wants to play football. He wants to build play and attack. It is a great place for me to be.”

And Chelsea? “I cannot predict the future,” he shrugs. “All I know is that I need to work hard towards it, wherever it takes me.

“That means having a good season with Newcastle. After that, I don't know what tomorrow will bring. Nobody does.”

Christian Atsu was visiting Newcastle United Foundation's Half-Term Soccer School as part of an initiative in his role as Ambassador for Arms Around the Child, to help highlight World Orphan Day on November 14: http://armsaroundthechild.org