World Cup: All Whites captain Chris Wood back to full fitness for tournament, sets big target
Sitting in the Nottingham Forest dressing room at the City Ground just over a month ago, a sense of panic entered Chris Wood’s mind.
Barely a week after he had made a long-awaited return from a serious knee injury, which ruled him out for most of the season, he had just limped off again, the victim of an awful challenge against Porto. In the eighth minute of their Europa League quarter-final, opposition defender Jan Bednarek had lunged in with a high, studs-up tackle near the halfway line, catching Wood in an awkward position as he fell to the ground in agony.
The All Whites skipper attempted to play on – but couldn’t – while Bednarek received a red card. The incident sent shock waves around the New Zealand football community – fearing the worst for his World Cup hopes – while Wood was also in a state of high anxiety.
“There was a lot of panic in myself as well after being out for so long,” Wood said on Friday. “It was a different knee – but it was only a contusion, from a strong kick. Luckily in the first six hours after the game, my physios and the medical staff team were confident that there was no major damage, and we ruled it out [with a scan] the next day. I spoke to Baze [Darren Bazeley] that night to let him know the situation, and of course the medical team from New Zealand.”
It was the latest scare in a difficult season for Wood, who missed a total of 35 matches for his club from mid-October and eventually had knee surgery last December. But he is raring to go for the Fifa World Cup after being confirmed as captain last week by Bazeley. He is the most valuable member of the squad – and the hardest to replace – which is why his physical issues have caused such angst in this part of the world.
“I’m back to full fitness,” Wood said. “I’ve been playing games now for over a month and a half, so I feel good, up to speed, which is nice.”
He never doubted he would make it back for the World Cup. “I always try to stay positive and never think about that side of stuff.”
There may even be a small silver lining to his restricted season as he will arrive at the tournament fresher than normal.
“Let’s hope so,” Wood said. “I’m just happy to be back firing both for Forest and for the national team coming into this period. It’s given me that hunger to strive and achieve more.”
Memories of 2010
Wood is one of two survivors from New Zealand’s last World Cup campaign in 2010 – along with Tommy Smith – and this one comes in vastly different circumstances. Back then he was a wide-eyed teenager at West Bromwich Albion with only a handful of international caps to his credit.
“A lot of joy and excitement,” Wood recalled of his 2010 call-up. “But back then it was one of just enjoy it and just being there, whereas this time it’s different, we’ve got higher aims, we want to progress out of the group. Even though we [wanted to] back then, now it might be more realistic but it’s going to be tough.”
Wood was reluctant to compare eras, but feels the current squad is well placed to achieve a couple of notable firsts, in aiming to win a game at the men’s World Cup and reach the knockout stages.
“We’re a completely different squad and team to what the 2010 one was,” Wood said. “We’re more of a technical, ball-playing side and very good on the pitch as well.”
The 2010 group was notable for its experience, resilience and grit – with the likes of Ryan Nelsen, Simon Elliott, Chris Killen and Ivan Vicelich coming off long professional careers – even if the tactical recipe was more direct and basic.
“We had proper leaders, ‘run through brick walls’ type players and it really showed. That’s what got us so far in that tournament, how we got three draws and became the only unbeaten side. They are vastly different teams and very hard to compare but I know this team will want to do big things, cause a few upsets and get out of the group. That’s our aim and then build from there. We’re under no illusion, it’s going be tough but we’ve got the quality to be able to do that.”
Wood also backed the selection of Smith, a polarising call given the 36-year-old is now at Braintree Town in the fifth tier of English football.
“He’s going to bring a lot of experience,” Wood said. “Obviously, the only other Kiwi that has been to a World Cup and he’s got a lot more experience than I do in that sense because he started and played all of those games, so he can help out the team a lot more than I can. I can share my experiences as well, but he’ll be vital, understanding the occasion that we all have to play in, and then the process of dealing with everything around it.”
Overall, Wood is in a good space, after a season racked by uncertainty and frustration. The 34-year-old has made a big impact too, with his return coinciding with an upswing in fortunes at Forest as a recent five-match unbeaten run in the league (including three wins) has ensured their safety from relegation. He scored a crucial goal at Sunderland – with a clever finish – and got the winner against Aston Villa in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final, even if that run was stopped a week later.
“We were in a tough period, trying to fight relegation and then also trying to achieve something in the European competition,” Wood said. “It was fantastic just to get back and be playing, but more to be able to help on the pitch as well. I have the belief that I’m still capable of doing it and this [knee injury] won’t stop me at all. If anything, it’s prolonged my career by giving me a year’s hiatus and now I can go on for another season or two. The body’s feeling good.”
Michael Burgess has been a Sports Journalist for the New Zealand Herald since 2005, covering the Olympics, Fifa World Cups, and America’s Cup campaigns. He is a co-host of the Big League podcast.
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