Ryan Nelsen
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| Ryan Nelsen | ||
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| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ryan Nelsen | |
| Date of birth | October 18, 1977 (age 29) | |
| Place of birth | Christchurch, New Zealand | |
| Height | 1.85 m | |
| Position | Defender | |
| Club information | ||
| Current club | Blackburn Rovers | |
| Number | 6 | |
| Professional clubs* | ||
| Years | Club | Apps (goals) |
| 1997-1999 1999-2001 2001-2005 2005- |
Greensboro College Stanford University DC United Blackburn Rovers |
49 (1) 50 (1) 68 (7) 46 (0) |
| National team** | ||
| 2002- | New Zealand | 28 (2) |
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* Professional club appearances and goals |
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Ryan Nelsen (born October 18, 1977 in Christchurch) is a professional football (soccer) player from New Zealand, who currently plays for Blackburn Rovers in the English Premier League.
[edit] US College and Major League Soccer
Nelsen went to the United States of America to play for Greensboro College in North Carolina in 1997. After spending two years at Greensboro and leading the team to the NCAA Division III Final Four, Nelsen moved to Stanford University, where he played his final two years of college soccer. At Stanford, Nelsen was voted team MVP in his first year, and named an NSCAA All-American in his senior year, while playing as a defensive midfielder.
Nelsen was drafted 4th overall in the 2001 MLS SuperDraft by D.C. United, with whom he has spent four years in Major League Soccer. After emerging as a starter in 2002, Nelsen was named team captain in 2003, replacing Marco Etcheverry in that role, as well as winning the team's Defender of the Year Award and being named to the league's Best XI. He was named to the Best XI again in 2004. In four years in MLS, Nelsen scored seven goals and added five assists.
[edit] Move to the Premiership
Nelsen has also been a vital player for the New Zealand national team. He was signed by Blackburn Rovers on a free transfer in January 2005, shortly after the 2004 MLS season had finished. In the summer of 2005, after just 6 months at the club, Nelsen was rewarded with a new 3 year contract after impressing Blackburn Rovers manager Mark Hughes by helping to turn their defense into one of the stingiest of the league, allowing only .67 goals per game after his arrival that season. The central defender was successfully awarded a work permit when Rovers launched an appeal after the initial application had been refused due to New Zealand being ranked outside the top 70 in the FIFA World Rankings.
Nelsen has been a revelation for Blackburn, as he's consistently produced top class performances to shut out some of the Premier League's best strikers, alongside Zurab Khizanishvili, Andy Todd and Lucas Neill. He ended the 2005/2006 season injured, and a recurrence of this injury forced him out of the start of the 2006/2007 season.
[edit] External links
| Blackburn Rovers F.C. - Current Squad |
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1 Friedel | 2 Neill | 3 Khizanishvili | 4 Todd | 5 Tugay | 6 Nelsen | 7 Emerton | 8 Savage | 9 Nonda | 10 McCarthy | 11 Bentley | 12 Gamst Pedersen | 13 Enckelman | 14 Reid | 15 Mokoena | 16 Henchoz | 17 Jeffers | 18 Gallagher | 20 Ooijer | 21 Matteo | 23 Brown | 24 McEveley | 26 Taylor | 27 Derbyshire | 29 Treacy | 30 Roberts | 31 Peter | 32 Nolan | 33 Gray | Manager: Hughes |
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