Nelsen has been criticised in the past for pulling out of similar friendlies when club commitments were at stake but he went to great lengths to get a leave pass between two massive league matches against Arsenal and Manchester United.
He admitted that it was "pretty tough getting over".
"It was a delicate situation with a new club and a new manager. You are like the new kid at school and you want to impress."
Nelsen said that it was also hard to find the right moment to speak to manager Harry Redknapp.
"It probably wasn't high on his totem pole with the tax man and the English FA talking to him."
Nelsen did not make the Tottenham squad against Arsenal but understood why he was not released to catch an earlier flight.
"They pay my wages so you've got to be ready. And you never know a day before a game, in a warmup anything could happen."
The captain smirked when he was reminded of his last visit to Mt Smart in 2002 when his winning goal against Australia sent New Zealand to the Confederations Cup in France. "I remember it coming off my shin pad."
Even though that game was a decade ago, the elder statesman of Kiwi soccer wants to keep going as long as the body holds up. "As long as I get picked."
Nelsen spoke of his desire to play in both the Oceania Nations Cup in June and the London Olympics after an "inspiring" experience in Beijing but joked that "the squad might be tough to get into".
Nelsen does not even dismiss the next World Cup in 2014 but at "34 years and a half" is taking it one game at the time.
"Yeah I'm up for it but that's all a long way away. At this stage I don't even know when my flight back to England is."
Two teams tripping into the unknown promise to provide a fast-paced spectacle tonight.
Coaches Ricki Herbert and Theodore Whitmore yesterday admitted they knew little about their opponents but given the Jamaicans' tag as one of the fastest teams in world soccer and Herbert's insistence he wants to unleash his younger brigade, the game has the ingredients to be a frenzied affair.
Yet to confirm his starting XI, Herbert again hinted that he is keen to toss starting spots to Kosta Barbarouses, Chris Wood and Marco Rojas.
That would leave Shane Smeltz, the only player under an even slight injury concern, and China-based Chris Killen on the bench but ready for action if there are unlimited substitutions.
Herbert also suggested he would reward in-form Newcastle Jets striker/midfielder Jeremy Brockie with a start wide on the right outside Tim Brown and Michael McGlinchey who seem set to play centrally in midfield with Tony Lochhead taking the wide left berth.
Herbert's biggest conundrum is in settling on Nelsen's defensive partners.
Initially it was felt he would go with Tommy Smith and Winston Reid but Herbert yesterday admitted Ben Sigmund has made a strong claim for a start with season-long standout performances for the Wellington Phoenix.
If Herbert does give Sigmund a start, there could be up to five changes from the last team - the 3-0 loss to Australia in Adelaide in June last year.
Glen Moss started in goal in that game but is missing this time through injury clearing the way for World Cup hero Mark Paston to return.
Smeltz and Killen also started as did Andy Boyens and Michael Boxall who are not in tonight's squad.
"It is probably as hard as any team I have had to name," said Herbert. "Injury-wise we are looking okay.
"June is going to be very important and we now have to put a stake in the ground. We now have a good pool of players, including those outside this group, to select from."
NZ V JAMAICA
Mt Smart Stadium
Today 7.30pm (live SS3)
Referee: Norbert Hauata (Tahiti).
