New Zealander Chris Wood has finished his first Premier League season with Newcastle United since his move from Burnley in January. The transition has garnered mixed reviews and got a tough finish with his final match of the season against his previous team.
Chris Wood transferred to Newcastle United in January through a £25 million deal, causing frustration between the two relegation rivals. Wood has since been described as “goal barren” as he has only scored twice since the move, on top of struggling with a hip injury.
The Kiwi will face an intense period following his injury comeback, as his home nation team will begin ramping up for the World Cup in Qatar this fall. This will also mean a full schedule for wagering fans, who can use specific casino bonuses New Zealand for betting on both national and club based games ahead.
Booed after Burnley season finale
In the final game of the season, Wood faced his previous Burnley teammates while wearing the Newcastle colours. The game ended with a 2-1 victory for Newcastle, forcing the Burnley team to relegate to the EFL Championship for next season.
After the game, Wood took the time to thank all four sides of the Turf Moor, at which he spent almost half a decade. However, some Burnley fans were still upset about his untimely transfer disappointing, and he was faced with a booing crowd. Nevertheless, Wood kept his head high and showed his gratefulness to his former club.
Mixed reviews for transition performance
Already from the start, Wood’s transfer in January has been disputed by fans and professionals. Most controversial was the timing, as both teams were at risk of relegation at the time. Wood was aware of this himself, and stated in an interview with The Guardian that “It wasn’t an easy decision and, to be honest, I wish I’d left when Burnley were further up the league but that’s just how football is sometimes.” He went on to say that he feels “no bad blood” and that he has “nothing but great memories of Burnley”.
As the season went on, the transfer has been questioned due to the lack of nettings from the New Zealander. Since his move, he has only scored two goals. Former Premier League striker Noel Whelan hinted to Football Insider that if Wood doesn’t improve his performance, it is not unlikely that Newcastle would seek out additional strikers to put pressure on Wood.
Focus on World Cup
Next up for the New Zealand international is a game with his national team the All Whites. The team, which is facing their final playoffs against Costa Rica to get a spot for the upcoming World Cup in Qatar, will play Peru in Barcelona for a friendly on June 5th followed by yet another friendly against Oman in Qatar on June 9th.
Peru and New Zealand matched up in the playoffs for the last World Cup in Russia 2018, where Peru beat the Kiwis 2-0. Peru is likewise facing playoffs against either Australia or the United Arab Emirates for their ticket to Qatar.
Record-breaker as All Whites captain
Though Chris Wood might be facing a difficult time on the British football fields, he is a national hero back in New Zealand. In 2014, he became the youngest All Whites captain in history and is today vice-captain for the national team.
Wood also made Kiwi football history this year when he scored his 30th international goal against Fiji in March. With this goal, he succeeded in ranking as the leading goal scorer in history for the New Zealand team, passing his predecessor Vaughn Coveny’s 29 goals.
Final Kiwi start XI not finalized
Despite the Newcastle striker returning to the team for the World Cup playoffs, the total setup of the team has not yet been decided. According to coach Danny Hay, the last positions, that are not “entirely 100%”, are the crucial first goalkeeper and the right-back position.
The biggest question is that of the right-back, for which position 13 players have started across the national team’s last 48 matches. Currently, the starting position stands between three contenders: Dane Ingham, Niko Kirwan, and Tim Payne. The friendlies against Peru and Oman in June will clarify the starting line-up against Costa Rica.
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