Chris Wood of Newcastle United during the warm up. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
Chris Wood of Newcastle United during the warm up. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
All Whites striker Chris Wood welcomes the prospect of more internal competition at Newcastle United, as the English Premier League season gets underway this weekend.
Wood helped the Magpies escape relegation in the last campaign, one of several January signings that contributed to their impressive revivial in the second halfof the season.
Expectations will be considerably higher this time around, as the investment of the Saudi Arabian owners needs to bear fruit.
Newcastle has done sensible off-season business, with the coveted Dutch defender Sven Botman coming in from Lille (GBP 35 million) and England goalkeeper Nick Pope (GBP 11 million) being nabbed from Burnley.
But they are still expected to sign at least one striker before the transfer window closes at the end of this month, after being linked with several targets during the pre-season.
He started 14 consecutive games after his move from Burnley, as Eddie Howe's preferred striking option, with Callum Wilson side lined with a calf injury until early May.
The former England striker is now firmly back in the mix, along with maverick Frenchman Allan Saint-Maximin, while any new arrivals will be pushing hard for first team football.
It could be an adjustment for Wood - after being the undisputed No 1 option at Burnley for so long and playing almost every game since he signed for Newcastle – but he looks forward to the potential selection battle.
"I see it as a challenge, to test myself and become better," Wood told the Herald. "The better players you play with, the better you play. The harder challenges you put in front of yourself, if you come out on top of them you are a stronger and better person, on and off the field."
On the subject of possible new attacking recruits, Wood takes a holistic view.
"It only helps the team and the club," said Wood. "Ultimately we want to be the next Manchester City, becoming that project. And it is only going to come with bringing in bigger players.
"It's only going to raise my game, bringing in a striker that is experienced, or has potential or whatever or having to fight with Callum Wilson and things like that."
"That is the way I look at it; I remember thinking from a young age I want to be up against the best, I want to play with the best and I am happy and looking forward to where the future goes with Newcastle."
Wood arrived for GBP 25 million ($48 million), as Newcastle activated his release clause from Burnley.
Chris Wood of Newcastle United under pressure from Kurt Zouma. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
It was a staggering price tag; reportedly the third highest fee paid for a striker aged 30 or older in football history, only behind Gabriel Batistuta and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Given Newcastle had managed one win from 19 games and were a point off the bottom of the table, it was a tough situation to be walking into.
"I'm lucky I was old enough to realise there was a bit of pressure but not huge amounts of pressure," said Wood. "There was huge amounts of pressure on the team but not necessarily as individuals because we just needed to do our jobs and do what we were bought in for."
"[For me] it was to be that focal point and obviously score goals. Unfortunately they didn't flow as freely as I wanted but the team won games and that's what matters. I think every Newcastle fan would be extremely happy with the role people played, to put the club where it is at."
Wood only managed two goals from 16 appearances (well down on his output in previous Premier League seasons) but had a vital all round contribution, as the team won 12 of its last 19 games to soar up the table.
Under new manager Eddie Howe, they became a much more resilient, competitive unit, with eight wins by a single goal and a series of clean sheets.
"Eddie has done fantastically well to change the club and change the philosophy in the club, to a team and environment that works hard, plays football at times and knows how to win," said Wood. "And that is vitally important in the Premier League."
Newcastle are expected to be a fixture in the top half of the table this season, as they chase European qualification, with some pundits predicting they could even disrupt the traditional 'big six'.
They host Nottingham Forest in the opening round (Sunday 2am NZ time), as the East Midlands club are back in the top flight for the first time since 1999.
Manchester City are favourites to defend their crown, with Liverpool expected to be their biggest challenger.
Tottenham look well placed to push the big two while Manchester United should improve under their new manager Erik ten Hag.
Along with Forest, Fulham and Bournemouth need to start the season well to have any hope of avoiding an immediate return to the Championship.
