Chris Wood Expresses Confidence in Nuno Espirito Santo’s Decisions at Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest forward Chris Wood has affirmed his trust in manager Nuno Espirito Santo’s choices, despite being a substitute for the recent loss against Arsenal. The striker participated for only 27 minutes in the 3-0 defeat at Emirates Stadium following the international break. This limited playing time was attributed to his commitments over the preceding two weeks, where he represented New Zealand in their World Cup qualifiers. During this period, he scored two goals in an 8-0 victory over Vanuatu and achieved a hat-trick as the All Whites secured another 8-0 win against Samoa. The extensive 22,000-mile journey between Nottingham and Auckland led to the 32-year-old being rested, and he maintains confidence in his manager’s tactical decisions. Ahead of Saturday’s match against Ipswich, Wood commented on the situation, stating: “It’s the way the manager wanted it. I trust what he says and does. He’s earned that, from me and from the club. Unfortunately we didn’t win the game, but we have to trust what he’s doing is the best case for the team.” He also expressed his deep commitment to international duty, adding: “I love playing for my country, always have and always will do. We have a big campaign coming up, pushing for the Wold Cup. We have more [qualifiers] in March which will determine if we go to the World Cup.” Wood emphasized the significance of these fixtures for his national team: “It’s big high-pressure games that can elevate New Zealand football to a higher level. They mean a lot to me – it’s not something I’ve ever thought about turning down. It’s about doing the most I can if the body allows it.” Wood’s international commitments also included a trip to America in September, where he played against Mexico and the USA, and he netted a goal in the All Whites’ 3-0 triumph over Tahiti in Vanuatu last month. Forest’s leading scorer, with eight goals, shared insights into managing the demands of travel: “Over the years, you learn tricks to put yourself in the best possible recovery status. We have great physios here and with New Zealand, we can switch into different time zones and loadings which matter massively when you are playing international football. I’ve done it for long enough. I know how to do it. I switch on time zones very easily. I don’t see it being an issue at all unless I’m arriving a day before game and that’s a different story.”