KEY POINTS:
Ryan Nelsen says wanting to change British perceptions of New Zealand soccer players is one reason for his four-year absence from the All Whites.
The central defender will gain his first international cap since 2004 when he runs out against New Caledonia in a World Cup qualifier in Noumea on Saturday.
The last of his 34 appearances for the All Whites was in the ill-fated Oceania Nations Cup campaign in Adelaide, when the New Zealanders were eliminated after a shock defeat to Vanuatu.
A recurring hamstring injury and the birth of his first child have put off his comeback to New Zealand colours.
But Nelsen said today that wanting to do well in the English premiership with Blackburn Rovers, whom he joined in 2005 and now captains, was another factor.
"I wanted to fly the Kiwi flag because there are a lot of doors you have to get through and preconceptions about New Zealand football players," he said.
"My main goal when I went to the premiership was to knock them all down and make an easy road for young New Zealand guys to come through and be there."
Nelsen had his first training session with the All Whites today after arriving in Auckland yesterday.
He flies out with the rest of the squad for Noumea on Friday.
New Zealand need one more win from their three remaining Oceania qualifying matches to earn a two-leg playoff with an Asian nation for a place in the World Cup finals in South Africa in 2010.
After Noumea, the All Whites play the return fixture against New Caledonia in Auckland next Wednesday, before facing Fiji in Lautoka on November 19.
If they top the Oceania qualifying pool, they will also gain a spot in next year's Confederations Cup.
Nelsen, 30, said getting back into the All White environment had been pretty easy despite the long break, with the banter and the jokes between his teammates much as it had always been.
"They let you cruise on by," he said.
"They're just a normal bunch of guys, and it's cool to be back among Kiwis and not having to try to understand Spanish or Turkish or German, like at the club."
Nelsen first returned to representing his country last month, when he was one of the three permitted over-age players in the Under-23 side at the Beijing Olympics.
He appeared in two pool matches - the 1-1 draw with China and the 5-0 defeat to Brazil - before having to return to England for the start of the new Premiership season.
He described his experience at the Olympics as "unbelievable", saying he gained plenty of insights from mixing with other athletes.
He didn't back away from comments he made during the Games that both New Zealand Football and A-League club Wellington Phoenix should do more to help to develop up-and-coming local talent.
He said it was frustrating to discover that none of his under-23 teammates in the Oly-Whites had professional contracts.
"We don't have a structure they can go on and become professional players, become premiership players, [German] Bundesliga players," he said.
"To me, New Zealand soccer and the Phoenix have got to hold their hand up for that."
Nelsen said he wanted the Phoenix, coached by All White coach Ricki Herbert, to be successful every season, "but I would love them to do it with young New Zealand players".
- NZPA
