Leeds United will face Derby County in the Championship on Saturday.
Leeds United head coach Garry Monk has told the club’s official website that Chris Wood did not train with the squad on Thursday.
The West Yorkshire outfit will return to action on Saturday afternoon when they take on Derby County away from home at the iPro Stadium in the Championship.
Wood should feature in the match, as the New Zealand international striker has been in good form so far this season.
The 24-year-old former West Bromwich Albion and Leicester City striker has scored five goals and created five chances in 10 Championship appearances for Leeds so far this campaign.
Monk, though, has stated that Wood did not train with his Leeds teammates on Thursday.
The former Swansea City manager has revealed that this was already planned, and has explained the reason.
“He’s fine, no problems,” Monk told Leeds’s official website about Wood. “How international players now travel long distances and the technology involved all helps.
“Chris is in good shape and feels good. We kept him out of training today (Thursday) but that was always the plan but he’ll be back Friday and be involved in the group on Saturday.”
Monk’s decision on Wood is fully justified, and one he should be praised for.
Wood is one of Leeds’s best and most important players at the moment, and he should be given time to recover from his exertions on international duty with New Zealand.
The decision not to make the striker train on Thursday is a very smart one which could have positive effects this weekend as well as in the subsequent weeks.
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