[Archived] Nelsen Has Signed

[rover6]

Mokoena a work permit away from being a Rover.

[cn_barlow]

good news. Sounds like he's a decent player...and he's got pace!

[USABlue]

His one weakness is probably footspeed. If you can somehow catch him out of position on a counter, he is not going to be able to recover.

Oh dear, another Amoruso..

Or a Bobby Moore, or a Tony Adams, or a John Terry etc etc.

[Hughesy]

Think the Mokoena deal has ended any chance of signing Gabbidon

[bob fleming]

Reckon so Hughesy - with Nelsen also expected to sign and Xavier still lurking about I'd say that the Gabbidon deal ain't gonna happen. Cardiff probably wanted too much money.

[seahawkdad]

disregard...

Edited December 23, 2004 by seahawkdad

[seahawkdad]

Reckon so Hughesy - with Nelsen also expected to sign...

Is there any late news about Nelsen? Aren't QPR also sniffing about, hoping that he won't sign with Blackburn and therefore be available?

And does this quote from the official site, "Aaron is the captain of South Africa and can play in central defence or the centre of midfield," put Mikoena in the midfield directly in front of Nelsen in the center of the backline (assuming both are able to break into the first team)?

[John]

Surely it was Glasgow Rangers after Nelsen. Surely they will be after a new centre back as they will lose Boumsong soon and Craig Moore is off as well.

[seahawkdad]

Surely it was Glasgow Rangers after Nelsen. Surely they will be after a new centre back as they will lose Boumsong soon and Craig Moore is off as well.

Rangers are one. QPR are another.

Here's a link to a story that says:

"QPR are ready to move for New Zealand captain Ryan Nelsen if he fails to secure a move to the Premiership." and "But if Hughes decides not to retain him, Rangers will attempt to snap Nelson up having monitored his progress for some time."

[seahawkdad]

Don't sign them Sparky!!!! The board will be full of moaning Kiwis and South Afrians when they don't get a game

And what do you think is going to happen now that Spector and Johnson are going to be dressed and ready?

The BigSoccer Yanks Abroad board already has threads up on Jemal and Jonathan. They'll be added to the weekly Friedel/Blackburn thread that tracks each Rover's match.

We've been discovered (well, maybe not BRSCS) and my pushy Septic compatriots are coming

Edited December 23, 2004 by seahawkdad

[American]

I'll be very disappointed if in his first match for Rovers, you guys don't sing Makoena's name to the Macarena song.

[stuwilky]

I'll be very disappointed if in his first match for Rovers, you guys don't sing Makoena's name to the Macarena song.

I beleive I made that gag about three weeks ago!!!

Somehow cant see it though!

[Flopsy]

Don't sign them Sparky!!!! The board will be full of moaning Kiwis and South Afrians when they don't get a game

yeah all the Southafricans will be suporting Blickburn Rovers - the locals wont know what hit em (like the southafrican cricket team muhahahaha)

[stuwilky]

Nelsen has signed on an 18 month contract for free. Lee has just posted it on the official site forum.

Link when available.

[brfcshabba]

Good to see we haven't spent any money and strengthened at the same time

[Ricky]

A little bit about him, unfortunately it uses some classic American Soccer terms...

2004: Ryan Nelsen fully blossomed into his role as captain in his fourth season with the Black-and-Red. As part of United's revamped three-man back line, he was a vocal leader on both ends of the pitch, helping anchor the defense and becoming involved in the attack. Nelsen earned his second consecutive All-Star nod, being named to the first XI for the Eastern Conference, but was forced to sit out due to an injury. Upon his return to the Black-and-Red, he invigorated the defensive unit, helping D.C. United to earn shutouts in three of the team's final six League matches on the season.

2003: In his third season with D.C. United, this versatile leader was a force to be reckoned with, floating dauntingly between midfield and defense. The New Zealand international was named team captain by Head Coach Ray Hudson, replacing Marco Etcheverry as the club’s new skipper. On 7/2, Nelsen broke the ice in the 29th minute in Dallas for his only goal of the season to give United a 1-0 lead. The Black-and-Red went on to win 3-1, capturing their first road win of the season. Nelsen was honored as United’s only representative in the MLS All-Star game in the league’s midseason classic. He finished the regular season by accepting the club’s ADT Defender of the Year Award.

2002: The New Zealand international had a breakout season by showing his worth all over the pitch for the Black-and-Red. Nelsen was United's second leading goal scorer with four tallies throughout the season. The former Stanford Cardinal took Eddie Pope's spot as the man-in-the-middle of the United defense on 5/4 against Chicago, and from there he established himself as one of the most physical and dependable forces in MLS. The Kiwi missed three games due to national team duty with New Zealand playing in the Oceania Nations Cup in July. Nelsen missed the final three games of the season due to a right MCL sprain suffered vs. NE on 9/7. Nelsen's offensive prowess first showed in United's 3-2 win over NE on 6/8, in which he scored his first two career goals and added an assist on the other DC tally. Nelsen also earned a goal and an assist against SJ on 8/31, helping the Black-and-Red earn a 4-2 triumph over the defending champion Earthquakes.

2001: Nelsen played the full 90 minutes at right back in a friendly v. Bayer Leverkusen (5/23). He missed five league matches (6/2-6/23) due to World Cup qualifying duty with New Zealand. Nelsen started in central defense and played the full 90 v. LA (7/7), making his first appearance in a league match since May 30. He also saw action at left back in a 3-5-2 alignment during the season. Nelsen finished the year with two assists, recording his first v. MIA (8/1) in 2-2 draw, and tallying his second v. TB (9/1).

[Philly Rover ®]

I'm just curious to see how Sparky uses him. I have a feeling that he's more Premiership ready than Mokoena, but whether Hughes chooses to use him in central defense or elsewhere (the holding role in central midfield?) will be interesting to see.

[chris]

Good to see we haven't spent any money and strengthened at the same time

so he's a good player then?

[brfcshabba]

Another player to choose from is strengthening in my books

[seahawkdad]

Good to see we haven't spent any money and strengthened at the same time

so he's a good player then?

Having watched him play for 3 1/2 years now, and having seen how DC United suffered when he wasn't on the pitch, I can confidently say YES.

Wait...I should have said 'on the field', not 'on the pitch'. I forgot and slipped out of using one of those 'unfortunate classic Amierican soccer terms'

Edited January 6, 2005 by seahawkdad

[grizfoot]

Another Defender

are we planning to play 10 at the back

Friedel

Neill, Short, Amo, Nelsen, Todd, Mokoena, Nissa, Matteo, McEveley, Gray

[joey_big_nose]

Another Defender

are we planning to play 10 at the back

Friedel

Neill, Short, Amo, Nelsen, Todd, Mokoena, Nissa, Matteo, McEveley, Gray

whats shocking about that is that you have not even included Gresko or Spector. We need to start selling soon, bloody hell.

[USRoverME]

Human pyramid in the net, with Brad in front?

Surely hard to score on....

lets see, 38 games, 38 draws, 38 points....

is that enough to stay in the PL?

[Parasyte]

38 draws? Dont be ridiculous, we've all seen that Brad is a capable scorer, and can leave the pyramid well alone in the 6 yard box.

[philipl]

I'll be very disappointed if in his first match for Rovers, you guys don't sing Makoena's name to the Macarena song.

I beleive I made that gag about three weeks ago!!!

Somehow cant see it though!

Never mind the song, you will have the terracing of Ninian Park to get the dance going.

Happy we are in the position of now being able to decide who is surplus to requirements rather than be scratching around looking for replacements for already departed players. I'll repeat my hunch- neither Amo nor Gray will be at Ewood on 31 Jan.

Anyway, the window's been open two days, we've signed two, have another coming on loan, well into a battle to prise a rival's best player away, lots of links to other players.

Good to see Sparky taking a relaxed approach to life as the Rovers Manager.