How Chris Wood has established himself as the best Kiwi to play in England

When it comes to deciding what to do in our free time, there’s plenty of choice. For some, a stroll on the beach or reading a book can be exactly what you need. Others may prefer to meet up with mates to hang out in a local bar.

The NZ Entertainment Scene

When it comes to New Zealand, entertainment takes a range of forms. With the advancements in technology, you don’t even have to leave the house to have fun. You can load up Scatters NZ casino to play games on your phone to play all sorts of games, from Temple Rumble slots to Roulette Live. Players can also take advantage of Bonus Buy Slots, which allow the player to put down money for specific features. Then, there’s gaming consoles, Netflix, YouTube, and so on. Basically, we aren’t stuck for options at all.

Sports are another main passion in many people’s lives. It can be playing or watching, but it features large. Despite that, for many, Few get to play professionally though, and to reach the highest level is some achievement. Of course, New Zealand have produced world-class performers in many different fields, notably rugby, where the All Blacks continue to be the benchmark. Football isn’t usually high up the list.

13 – Chris Wood has scored 13 goals for Burnley in the Premier League this season; the most by a Clarets player in a single campaign in the competition. Touch. #NORBUR pic.twitter.com/ENVzidssKD

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 18, 2020

One Man Has Excelled in Football

Whilst it’s a different story for football in terms of the depth and quality New Zealand has produced, Chris Wood is easily the best Kiwi to play abroad. The Auckland-born striker moved to England, and when he made his debut for West Brom, he became just the fifth New Zealander to play in the Premier League. So, that was a nice moment for the target man.

Yet, things didn’t really go to plan after that. Wood failed to establish himself as a regular in the Baggies XI, instead getting his game time by several loan spells, before dropping out of the top-flight to join Leicester.

That adversity made the 29-year-old stronger though, as he went on to star for Leeds before earning his return to the Premier League with Burnley. They made him the most expensive Kiwi ever by signing him for around £15m.

It’s fair to say that it’s a deal they won’t regret it all. In the subsequent three years, Wood has become a talisman for the Clarets, helping them into Europe and ensuring they rarely get dragged into a relegation battle. He may slip under the radar when it comes to naming the top strikers in the Premier League, but Wood has hit double figures in three consecutive seasons. There aren’t many outside the elite who manage that.

So, whilst Ryan Nelson and Winston Reid deserve honourable mentions, there’s no denying that Wood has cemented his status as New Zealand’s best ever in the English game. Pleasingly, there’s no signs of him slowing down. He remains an integral player for Sean Dyche and he should have a few more years at least at a very high level.

"The move caused a real sensation back home!" 💥

Sarpreet Singh interview ➡️https://t.co/oiT83Kitj4#MiaSanMia pic.twitter.com/z6wFjVAwGp

— FC Bayern English (@FCBayernEN) September 13, 2019

When you combine his achievements on the pitch with 57 caps and 24 goals for the All Whites, it’s no exaggeration to say that Wood is inspiring the next generation of New Zealand players. The likes of Sarpreet Singh, who is at Bayern Munich, and Ryan Thomas, who plays for PSV Eindhoven, will be desperate to make their mark in Europe, like Wood.

Ultimately, New Zealand aren’t known for their football. But, Wood’s contributions in the Premier League on a weekly basis mean he has to be regarded as the best player to come from the country and there’s plenty more to come from the big man.