Chris Wood wants to set goalscoring records. Photo / AP
Chris Wood wants to achieve a unique century of appearances for the All Whites, and also set national scoring records that might never be touched.
The Burnley forward is coming off his best year in English football and is now an established striker in the Premier League, no easy feat, as it is the holy grail for attacking players from across the world.
The pressure to perform at club level is relentless, the margins fine and the judgements swift, but despite that, Wood remains remarkably committed to the New Zealand cause.
He was extremely disappointed with the All Whites' inactivity the past two years, before recent games against Ireland and Lithuania, and has some lofty targets.
Since making his debut in June 2009 against Tanzania, Wood has accumulated 57 matches, with 24 goals, just five short of Vaughan Coveny's record.
"It's something I'll look back on in the future and be very proud of," Wood told the Herald on Sunday. "But I want more of both [caps and goals] at the end of the day. I wish I had more already but can't be too upset with what I've achieved so far.
"I'm very pleased with what I've done but hopefully I have a lot more to achieve - hopefully doubling both stats."
Barring injury, Coveny's mark could be eclipsed next year, but the appearance record (88, Ivan Vicelich) will take some catching.
But who would bet against him?
He has his long-term sights set on the 2026 World Cup in North America, and sets a fine example for the next generation of New Zealand footballers.
Despite his club duties, even in the past five years at the sharp end with Leeds and Burnley, Wood has consistently made himself available for the national side, even with the long trips, logistical difficulties and fear of compromising your club place. It's a fine balance and something other Kiwis in comparable positions down the years have struggled with.
Wood is different. He wants to do both, and so far has managed it, hence his disappointment when the All Whites were shelved for almost two years.
"Frustration is one word ... you just want to be playing for your national team as much as you can. To have a two-year mess without real games is quite hard to take as players, but it's the way it fell, which isn't nice, but it's good to be back amongst it. It definitely needed to happen and it's good we're finally sorted and have a good campaign ahead of us."
Wood turned 28 this month but is improving with age, judging by his extraordinary efforts in 2019.
During the calendar year, Wood notched 15 Premier League goals, a figure bettered by only six players. That's the same as Marcus Rashford and more than Harry Kane (13), Raul Jimenez (13), Alex Lacazette (12), Wilfried Zaha (10) and Roberto Firmino (9). Across the same period, Raheem Sterling grabbed 17 for free-scoring Manchester City and Luis Suarez had 19 leading Barcelona's line. Even comparing ratios — like minutes per goal — Wood has a superior rate to Lucas Moura, Rashford, Antoine Greizmann, Edin Dzeko and Firmino.
And this is for a Burnley side that, despite all its positive attributes and admirable qualities, often cedes the majority of possession, doesn't create a multitude of chances and demands plenty of defensive work from their strikers.
And Wood can hurt the biggest teams; his annual tally includes goals at Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge, the winner against Spurs and another against high-flying Leicester.
It's a remarkable effort, given many players with bigger reputations at larger clubs have struggled to make a mark in the Premier League.
"When you first go there, you're an unknown, people are saying 'can he do it, can he not?' But now back-to-back double figures in the Premier League [across two seasons] can speak for itself. As long as I keep performing the way I do and showing what I can do, performing and scoring goals, it's going to be a good time and a good career ahead of me."
From being a curiosity — a Kiwi striker in the Premier League — Wood is now recognised and respected. Has he felt a change in the way he is perceived?
"You don't pay too much attention to that but I'd like to think it has," said Wood. "I know myself where I am ability and playing wise, and I'm happy with the progress I've made, so that's the main thing."
Wood is part of the top flight scene, and playing in front of massive crowds at famous grounds against iconic teams has become second nature to the former Cambridge and Hamilton Wanderers player.
"It's just normal now, you get accustomed to it," said Wood. "It's just like playing normal people, this is your league and what you want to do, and strive to become. You want to be better, you want to be playing with them one day if you can. They are very big dreams but you still have to have ambitions and goals in life to achieve. When you're playing with better players, you rise to the occasion. Over the years, you get better, wiser and smarter."
Manager Sean Dyche has noted Wood's progression. He had tracked Wood for years as he made his mark in the lower leagues, before stumping up a club record fee (an estimated £15 million) to sign him from Leeds.
"He continues to improve," Dyche told the Herald on Sunday. "I've always fancied him to score a goal but his general game and hold-up play is improving. [And] the dynamic of his running has improved; he sees the picture quicker, which you have to in the Premier League, of course.
"All the top strikers I've played against or seen, they just see it build quicker, they see it quicker than the centre halves and he is learning that. Seeing it quick is an unbelievable weapon for a centre forward. Seeing the picture, how it is developing and reacting quicker than the centre halves, it's a really important thing."
Wood has found a wonderful niche at Burnley (population 73,000) in the far east of Lancashire. It's the most powerful footballing region in England but the men at Turf Moor haven't been overshadowed.
Wood's contributions have been vital; 27 league goals from 77 games, with an impressive one-third of those strikes crucial match-winners for the Clarets.
"We have gone from strength to strength," said Wood. "We had a great season in my first season, finishing seventh, getting into Europe, which was another exciting adventure.
"That made things a bit tough [last season] but we still stayed up, relatively comfortably in the end, which was nice. We've done better each season and we're hoping to continue that across the next few seasons as well."
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