Soccer: Nelsen unlikely to play in Nations Cup

A decision on whether Ryan Nelsen will play in the Nations Cup will be made in the next 48 hours. Photo / Brett Phibbs

All Whites coach Ricki Herbert says skipper Ryan Nelsen is not likely to play in the Nations Cup, despite being named in the squad.

Herbert today named the Tottenham Hotspur defender in his 22-player squad to play in the Solomon Islands tournament next month but cast doubt on his involvement when saying a decision would be made on whether he would play in the next 48 hours.

Nelsen, 34, has been bothered by a knee injury this season.

"There could be a massive doubt as to whether we do use Ryan through the early part of this campaign, and that's solely from a medical point of view,'' Herbert said. "There is a strong chance that we may elect not to take him. At some stage something needs to give and a bit of time to repair and do thing right. If that's the right thing to do at the moment then we're certainly happy to do that. We may elect not to take him at all.

"There's the Olympics coming up and we've got qualifiers and friendlies throughout the back end of the season. The last thing we want to do is rule people out long term if we can help them out short term. If this decision's made, then it's certainly in the player's interest.''

The All Whites play Fiji, Papua New Guinea and the hosts in pool play with the Nations Cup champion representing Oceania at next year's Confederations Cup in Brazil.

The tournament's semifinalists also progress to the third stage of World Cup qualifying held during windows in September, October and March. The winner of that stage meets the fourth placed team from Concacaf for a place at the 2014 World Cup finals.

Herbert said West Ham's Winston Reid was capable of leading the defensive line in Nelsen's absence.

"Winston Reid, at the moment, and I watched him in a West Ham game recently, is absolutely outstanding. He's certainly a capable defender and somebody who can look after and lead that backline for us.''

"If we force the issue now and get a player who's going to struggle and be a concern, then, nationally, we're probably going to get nothing, and that's no good for anybody.''

The other defenders named in Herbert's squad are Michael Boxall of the Vancouver Whitecaps, Phoenix players Ben Sigmund and Tony Lochead, Tommy Smith of Ipswich Town and Ivan Vicelich of Auckland City.

The All Whites play friendlies against Honduras and El Salvador in the USA after the Nations Cup, which Nelsen definitely won't be a part of.

Squad: Goalkeepers: Jake Gleeson (Portland Timbers, USA), Glen Moss (Wellington Phoenix), Mark Paston (Wellington Phoenix). Defenders: Michael Boxall (Vancouver Whitecaps), Tony Lochhead (Wellington Phoenix), Ryan Nelsen (captain, Tottenham Hotspur, ENG), Winston Reid (West Ham, ENG), Ben Sigmund (Wellington Phoenix), Tommy Smith (Ipswich Town, ENG), Ivan Vicelich (Auckland City). Midfielders: Leo Bertos (Wellington Phoenix), Jeremy Brockie (Wellington Phoenix), Aaron Clapham (Canterbury United), Cameron Howieson (Burnley, ENG), Dan Keat (Los Angeles Galaxy, USA), Michael McGlinchey (Central Coast Mariners, AUS), Tim Payne (Blackburn Rovers, ENG), Marco Rojas (Melbourne Victory, AUS), Forwards: Kosta Barbarouses (Alania Vladikavkaz, RUS), Rory Fallon (Aberdeen, SCO), Chris Killen (Chongqing, CHN), Shane Smeltz (Perth Glory, AUS), Chris Wood (West Bromwich Albion, ENG).