Standout season for Wood ‘just a matter of time’

Chris Wood’s star turn for Leeds United this season could yet have a fairytale finish.

He is the top scorer in the English Championship with 25 goals, and has a two-goal buffer over Bristol City’s Tammy Abraham heading into the final two games of the season, where Leeds still have a shot at making the promotion playoffs.

The Waikato striker’s goalscoring form has taken a dip in recent weeks - as have Leeds’ results - but he still stands a good chance of hanging on to claim the Golden Boot, even if the promotion push falls short.

It would be just reward for the breakthrough season that he has had, one that his All Whites teammate Rory Fallon says was just a matter of time.

‘‘From the player he was when I first met him [in 2009], to the player that he is now, he’s completely transformed his body shape, so you know that he’s been working on his eating, his diet, his training, the whole shebang.

‘‘All the older lads [in the All Whites] knew that there was going to be something decent from Woodsy, it was just a matter of time, really.’’

Leeds have only claimed four points from a possible 18 in their last six matches, which has left them needing other results to go their way if they are to make the promotion playoffs, as well as a win and a draw - at least - from their final two games, against Norwich this Sunday, and Wigan Athletic next Sunday (NZ time).

But whether they make the playoffs or not, there is no denying that Wood has had a big season, to the point where he was the subject of plenty of transfer speculation in the January window (taken with a grain of salt, as always), and where he will be the subject of plenty more over the summer, especially if he can make use of the grand stage that is the Confederations Cup.

The Premier League is the ultimate goal, of course, and it is something Wood has tasted, ever so briefly. He made his senior debut there as a 17-year-old for West Bromwich Albion in April 2009, and has since gone on to play in nine more matches for a total of 130 minutes, most of them while at Leicester City, who he scored for against Everton on the opening day of the 2014-15 season.

Wood may only be playing in the Championship for now, but Fallon is quick to remind people that performing there is still quite the achievement.

‘‘People think ‘oh, he’s not doing it in the Premier League,’ but the Championship is one of the hardest leagues in the world,’’ he said.

‘‘You can speak to Winston Reid about when he went from the Premier League down into the Championship. You’re playing two games a week, and those games are physical - you’ve got to be fit, you’ve got to be strong, you can’t get any injuries, because you’re playing 46 games in a season, and it’s often two games a week.’’

Wood’s star turn has come as the All Whites prepare for the Confederations Cup this June, which promises to be the biggest month for New Zealand football since November 2013, and the end of the last cycle of the World Cup qualifying.

Fallon will miss that tournament, but he believes Wood is well placed to carry his form onto the international stage.

‘‘When you get on a run like what Woodsy’s on, it’s hard not to score,’’ he said.

‘‘He’s doing it at the perfect time, and hopefully he can continue that on to when the big games come and when it’s needed.’’