Soccer: Nelsen in credit but visa expires

Ryan Nelsen can expect to improve his wages by more than 100 per cent when he begins talks over a new contract with Blackburn Rovers in the English summer.

The 27-year-old defender signed an 18-month deal with the Premier League club in January and takes home about 6000 ($15,700) a week.

But after helping Rovers to a record of only four goals conceded in the 13 games he's played before last night's FA Cup semifinal against Arsenal, boss Mark Hughes is keen to sign him up to an improved contract - especially with fellow Premier League sides Everton and Birmingham chasing the All Whites skipper.

Any new deal, likely to be three years, would see him earn about 16,000 ($42,000) a week - similar to club captain and fellow centre back Andy Todd. Midfielder Robbie Savage is reportedly the club's highest earner, pocketing about 30,000 (NZ$78,5000) a week.

One problem lurking in the background, however, is that Rovers will need to obtain a work permit for Nelsen, who is playing in England under the holiday-visa scheme.

The former DC United player doesn't qualify for a work permit automatically because the All Whites aren't ranked in the top 70 countries in the world so Blackburn exploited a loophole and signed him under the holiday-visa scheme.

A work permit is not a formality and the case is likely to go to appeal.

Blackburn have a good track record in obtaining work permits for their players, including US goalkeeper Brad Friedel, Turkish midfielder Tugay and Slovakia's Vratislav Gresko.

They're also likely to wait until the end of the season when they'd present a stronger case on the back of Nelsen having played more games.

Despite the attention of other clubs, Nelsen is expected to remain loyal to the club that gave him his big break in the Premier League.

 

"I'm really enjoying it here at Blackburn. They've shown faith and been good to me," Nelsen said. "Life in the Premier League means they pay you very well and I'm just lucky to be in this situation."

Although success has come quickly for the no-nonsense defender, who last night became the first New Zealander to play in an FA Cup semifinal, Nelsen is refusing to get carried away. There's no way he will become complacent.

"When I first came here, the thing I wanted above all else was to find some consistency week-in and week-out and, thankfully, so far I've been able to achieve that," he said.

"When I got my contract with Blackburn I said that I wanted to be judged on 30 or 40 games at this level, not two or three.

"My philosophy has always been to give everything in training, to play flat out, to do whatever I can to help the team and after that what will be will be," he said.

"If I'm in the first team, so much the better. Fortunately for me I don't think the expectations here of a New Zealander who's been playing in the United States were that high."

Clearly expectations have changed and there will be great interest in the Christchurch-born defender when he skippers the All Whites against Australia in London on June 9.

Not only will the match be the first for the All Whites since their embarrassing 4-2 defeat to Vanuatu in the World Cup qualifiers last June but also the first since he lashed out at New Zealand Soccer over the team's preparations for the qualifying tournament.

The Vanuatu defeat is still something Nelsen has trouble coming to terms with. "It was the worst moment of my career," he said.

Obviously events have taken a huge upward spiral since then and if he managed to help Blackburn to the FA Cup final, it would make sitting down to contract negotiations that bit more pleasant.

- Additional reporting The Independent

Oh lordie...

Ryan Nelsen
Age: 27
Club: Blackburn Rovers
Position: Centre back
Nelsen said he'd been feeling the heat leading up to last night's semifinal with Arsenal. "There's a bit of pressure from back home," he said. "I've got cousins giving me advice and uncles telling me what to do. Some of the people will be half-drunk so I'm expecting abusive text messages after the game."

- HERALD ON SUNDAY