Sharp-shooter Wood makes every post a winner
A supportive family crucial to thriving career of All Whites marksman, writes Andrew Voerman.
As Julie Wood puts it from her England home, ‘‘there’s a lot of factors that have to be in place for a Kiwi to make it over here’’.
She would know, having followed her footballing son, Chris, closely since he left New Zealand in 2008 to join the academy at West Bromwich Albion, a Midlands club who were then in the English Premier League.
Nine years on, the 25-year-old striker has just completed a breakthrough campaign with Leeds United, scoring 30 goals in 48 appearances, taking them to the verge of the second-tier English Championship’s promotion playoffs, and collecting the club’s player of the year award.
At the moment he is in Russia with the All Whites at the Confederations Cup, carrying the hopes of a nation whose football stars have usually been defenders or midfielders, with the notable exception of Wynton Rufer.
Getting to those places has required a long journey that probably wouldn’t have been possible had he had not had family with him in England throughout.
‘‘We spoke to a couple of people before we made the decision to come over, asking what do you think we should do, and they said if there’s one piece of advice, it’s that one of you travels with Chris to support him, so that’s what we did,’’ Julie says.
Initially, Chris’s dad, Grant, stayed behind, to see his sister, Chelsey, complete high school, but after a couple of years trying to follow his son’s progress from afar – he listened in over the phone as Chris made his Premier League debut in April, 2009 – Grant headed north as well.
Before he left New Zealand as a teenager, Chris played his football at St Paul’s Collegiate, a private school in Hamilton with a roll of about 700; clubs Cambridge FC and Hamilton Wanderers during the winter; and Waikato FC in the national league in the summer.
At St Paul’s, he was coached by Mike Groom, a former All White, who believes his success can best be summed up in two words: belief.
‘‘We had a free kick and it was in the centre circle, and I was sat on the sideline, and Chris took that Self We thought it would last for two years, which was all he had in the academy, and then we could be back again. free kick and shot, and the ball went straight above the goalkeeper’s head, and he scored. But the thing to me was, who shoots from the centre circle?’’ says Groom.
‘‘Only someone who has an incredible sense of self belief, and that’s something that was in his DNA. He might have missed a couple of chances, but what made him so unique and so successful, was that it wouldn’t diminish his sense of self belief and his confidence in himself at all.’’
Groom believes Chris gets that from his parents, and that it goes a long way to explaining why he has been able to succeed in an environment where so many other New Zealanders have failed.
‘‘[As a young footballer in England] you’ve got to go to a lot of strange places, there’s a whole lot of new people there, and new coaches that come and go. If that’s not an assault on your self belief, I don’t know what is,’’ he says. ‘‘But he was able to negotiate that obviously, and I’m not sure you can teach or coach that.’’
With the All Whites playing in Europe this month, Julie has watched Chris represent his country in person for the first time since the 2010 World Cup. He has scored 19 goals in 49 appearances for the All Whites, and with captain Winston Reid absent injured, he has taken over the role, further proof of just how far he has come.
‘‘It was a big decision, but no more than any other parent, I feel, would do for their child to have an opportunity to live their dream,’’ Julie says about making the move north all those years ago. There were no guarantees at that point – we thought it would last for two years, which was all he had in the academy, and then we could be back again.’’
So far, it’s counting. been nine, and then a massive mountain, which would be the Steel in the final.
‘‘There was some elation after the Magic win, but it was shortlived because it was straight onto the next job.’’
A loss by five or less would give the Mystics the competition point they need to make the playoffs, but a win should secure a home semifinal, given that the Pulse have a tough game against the Steel this round.
Although the Mystics should beat the Tactix, Purvis says they’re not taking it for granted.
‘‘It’s a tough one because they [Tactix] have obviously had some performances they might be disappointed in,’’ she said.
‘‘I know they’ll come back fighting after their loss against the Steel [last Wednesday] and that’s a game they probably feel they should have taken.
‘‘You can’t underestimate the Tactix, they beat the Stars and they beat us, so any team on any day can come out firing and we’re looking at how to combat Ellie Bird, their goal shooter, who’s come on and shot some really impressive numbers.
‘‘It won’t be an easy one, they never are.’’
Purvis’ form this season has mirrored that of the Mystics, a slow start but improving over the campaign.
She had to overcome a knee injury which limited her game time, but her minutes on court have increased over recent weeks.
‘‘It’s important to peak at the right time,’’ she said.