May 7, 2009

AUCKLAND - When Chris Wood woke up to the news he had made New Zealand's Confederations Cup squad, the teenager had to make sure he wasn't still dreaming.

The seventeen year old West Bromwich Albion trainee was fast asleep when official notification of his All Whites selection arrived via email on Wednesday morning (UK Time) to the Birmingham home where he lives with his mother Julie.

But the noise of a phone call from a proud mother to an equally-chuffed father back in New Zealand roused the newest All White from his slumber.

"I half woke to Mum talking about the final squad of 23 and went downstairs where she told that I'd made it in," Wood said.

"It's a huge honour."

If Wood kept a diary for the past 12 months it might read like somewhat like a Roy of the Rovers annual so he could have been excused for wondering if the line between dream and reality was beginning to blur.

"I made sure I was definitely awake!"

The recent chapter of the Chris Wood story is now well known - an unassuming Kiwi teenager with raw potential gets the shot of a lifetime at the academy of a Premier League side.

He makes a steady start but then after a goal rush for the U-18s and reserve team, gets a late call up to Albion's first team against Portsmouth and becomes just the fifth New Zealander to play in the Premiership.

"It's been a good five or six months since I've been back from Christmas, and I've played well and got chances.

Wood knew his name was on a wider list of 32 in contention for a Confederations Cup call up, but wasn't sure if he had done enough make the final cut.

"I only really thought I was an outside chance. I mean, a seventeen-year-old getting a full international cap would be amazing. Growing up, playing for your country is something every little kid dreams about."

The former Hamilton Wanderers and Waikato FC striker admits he faces another big step when he gets his first taste of senior international football, but All Whites coach Ricki Herbert already thinks Wood can compete for a significant role throughout the tournament.

"Right across the board there isn't anybody we've selected who we wouldn't consider for selection, and someone like Chris Wood is certainly going to add some pressure up front," Herbert said.

"He'll be pushing the likes of Shane Smeltz and Chris Killen and they'll need to be looking over their shoulders."

Wood is likely to get his first opportunity in one of two warm ups in Tanzania or Botswana en route to South Africa as Herbert looks to finalise his best eleven ahead of a marquee friendly against World Champions Italy on June 10 and a Confederations Cup campaign that begins with world number one Spain on June 14.