Tribal Football

Wood opens up "about being appreciated and valued" at Forest under Nuno Espirito Santo

Zack Oaten
Wood opens up "about being appreciated and valued" at Forest under Nuno Espirito Santo
Wood opens up "about being appreciated and valued" at Forest under Nuno Espirito SantoAction Plus
Nottingham Forest striker Chris Wood has opened up about how he feels at home at the club and how hard it has been throughout his career whilst on multiple loans.

The 32-year-old is in incredible form this season and is rivaling Manchester City’s Erling Haaland for the Golden Boot with 8 fantastic goals in just 12 appearances so far.  

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Reflecting on his journey across 12 English clubs, including Burnley, Leeds, Leicester and Newcastle, Wood expresses how hard he has struggled to find a club who would really appreciate him.  

"It's about making coming down the other side as small as possible to bounce back up and make a new mountain," says Wood, speaking to BBC Sport before Saturday's home game against Ipswich. "Mentality is huge in sport and in football. If you can control that side of the game it helps.  

"You go through these mountains and waves through the whole season. It's not just a case of skyrocketing. That's what I got told by (former technical director) Dan Ashworth when I was at West Brom: It's not always going to be plain sailing.  

"There are going to be those waves and you have to ride with them and hope the downside is as small as possible to get the upsides as big as possible."  

Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo was a breath of fresh air for Wood as he has finally found a manager who has put his trust in him this season which has more than paid off for him and the club. Wood revealed his delight about his role under Nuno and how he wants to be valued as a striker above anything else.  

"You have to find where you are appreciated. Managers have their own style and how they want to play games," says Wood, speaking at the club's training ground.  

"That's not anything I can control. It just means you might not be in the right area or the manager's cup of tea. There's always a manager who likes a number nine, or a false nine.  

"I'm not a man who is going to beat two or three players and stick in in the top corner, I'm a man who relies on service. If they can't supply me, I can't score.  

"It's about trying to find the role which fits everyone and fortunately under Nuno, it has.  

"The six or seven loans I had as a youngster taught me a lot about being appreciated and valued. It's not always about you as a person or player, it's how you connect and build with a team. A lot of it is out of your control." 

 

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