Chris Wood understands if people were underwhelmed, or even dismayed, when Newcastle United signed him last month because he could not believe it was going to happen either.
At the age of 30, Wood had not expected to leave Burnley and had no idea he was on Newcastle’s wanted list until 48 hours before he made the £25m move.
Like everyone else, he had seen the superstar players the Magpies were linked with. It was fantasy football stuff and he knew better than anyone that he is no superstar.
But what has happened since has been pragmatic rather than showbiz, as Newcastle spent £93m in January on players they thought could get them out of relegation trouble. It was a transfer policy to address the problems they had rather than the dreams they wanted to realise. No player epitomised that more than Wood.
“When the takeover happened, I could not have envisaged I would be one of the first signings,” said Wood, whose lack of goals should not distract from the fact Newcastle have taken ten points from the four games he has played.
“I’d read the rumours about Mbappe and Haaland and all that sort of stuff. It made you smile, I suppose, on the outside looking in. Newcastle were not in my thoughts at all. The interest came as a surprise and it all happened very quickly – in the space of 48 hours. Callum [Wilson] got the injury, Newcastle needed another striker with some presence to lead the line and it was done two days later.
“I’m obviously not in the same bracket as either of those two, I accept that 100 per cent, I am very different, but I was brought in to do a specific job and because I knew the Premier League. I was brought in to fight. Newcastle wanted players to make an impact immediately. It has been very pragmatic. They didn’t look to make glitzy signings if you like. We are in a relegation battle. It’s all very well signing players from abroad, but maybe they will need time to settle.”
Wood signed a two-and-a-half-year contract after Newcastle forced Burnley to sell by activating a £25m release clause. Wood knows why he is there. If Newcastle go on to achieve the things they aspire to do, this season will not feature prominently when the history books are written, but that does not matter now.
“Hopefully the dream signings can come later on when the club is more established,” Wood added. “They have grand plans and know where they want this club to be in the years to come, but they [the owners] are not ones to get carried away. It is the here and now which mattered and that’s what they addressed in January.
“The club is going to progress and I’m sure the fans are already dreaming of playing in Europe. But if you look at Chelsea, Man City and PSG, it takes time. You have to build gradually, on and off the pitch.
“We’d like to be pushing for Europe next season, but in reality, we just have to keep progressing. Hopefully in five years, we will be challenging for silverware, playing in Europe, that is what the new owners want. The players know that. We will add more players, maybe some big names, but we will take it year on year. What you saw in January, is that the club didn’t just sign good players, they signed good characters too.”
Wood is certainly that. He brings an Antipodean attitude to his work. Humble and understated, he is relaxed, and occasionally jovial, as we talk about his upbringing in New Zealand and the influence rugby had, despite his early love of football.
“It’s New Zealand, rugby is a right of passage,” he explained. “I played when I was at school. You’d probably be picked on if you didn’t, but it was always football that was my passion.
“Rugby helps shape you. Kiwis are brought up to think of the team rather than the individual. We’re brought up on the history of the All Blacks, how humble they are and how united they are. It rubs off on you. It helps foster this attitude that you have to be there for each other and work for each other. It had a huge effect on my personality and what I do as a footballer.”
