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Ryan Nelsen
- Thread starter NaijaSpurs
- Start date
spurspinter1
Paul Stalteri
Was there any Kiwis on here? Isn't Auro raman from NZ?
AuroRaman
Chris Armstrong
I'm from London mate, but I've been out here for just over a year. I posted in this thread earlier but it must've got lost in during the discussions taking place.
Just to reiterate, Spurs and Nelsen are big news over here at the moment, even noticed a few more shirts in the City Centre! They're really proud that Nelsen has joined 'a massive club' in the English Premier League.
Football is expanding quite rapidly here at the moment, so good exposure for us and without my Kiwi hat on, I'm very happy with Nelsen being signed. No-nonsense, solid and dependable. Also very happy with Saha's signature. Good experience for the run in.
Gutter Boy
Tim Sherwood
It's all relative though. It was still after women's golf on the news (and about 15 minutes after rugby 7s and the ODI against Zimbabwe).
Very good player. Although I'm a little surprised by the signing, given that he hasn't played all season. Not much point having an experienced backup player if he is always out injured.
If he manages to regain fitness, then he could be a useful stop gap solution until Caulker comes back.
If he manages to regain fitness, then he could be a useful stop gap solution until Caulker comes back.
Rorschach
Sonny Walters
Gomes' problems are all in his head. Every keeper makes mistakes. Even the so called best keepers in the league, Czech, Reina, etc. make howlers. The difference is that Gomes tends to cause a lot of his own problems by making rash decisions. The year we were 4th he was the best keeper in the league. The following year probably the worst. It's probably too late for Gomes at Spurs but you'd like to think that mad streak could somehow be expunged from Gomes character with coaching or whatever. Maybe watching Brad will help in that regards, but then again maybe not.
spurspinter1
Paul Stalteri
Ah right, good to see you on the new board mate!
Is he still playing for the national team? I guess the signing will be good for our profile out there, as long as he gets a bit of playing time...
The thing which will make or break the Nelsen and Saha signing is fitness I guess, for both of them it is a bit of a worry but I'm happy with both of them really...
Are you based in NZ now?
awesome dawson
Mitchell Thomas
He's going to love our short corner debacle/routine then!
AuroRaman
Chris Armstrong
Cheers mate! The last I remember he was still skipper. Definitely with you there, if they're fit, especially Saha, then I think we can expect a decent contribution.
AuroRaman
Chris Armstrong
Spurs-related musings at the beginning of the article. Thought it may be of interest. Think the writer is being very harsh on Nelsen.
One of the elite clubs in Europe \o/
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10789654
It would be a brave man who criticised New Zealand football captain Ryan Nelsen right now.
He's signed with one of the glamour clubs in the English Premier League; he was more responsible than any other individual (coach Ricki Herbert included) for our stunning performances at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa; and he flew halfway around the world to play a strong role in the All Whites' friendly match with Jamaica just this week.
But there's a reason you didn't see him on the field when Tottenham Hotspur took on Arsenal last weekend and it's the same reason he's unlikely to have much of a role in one of the English matches of the season tomorrow (Spurs vs Manchester United). Put simply, Ryan Nelsen can't play.
Is that brave or what? And here's the logic.
Nelsen's move to Spurs from Blackburn Rovers has elevated him from a side of perennial battlers to one of the most powerful clubs in England, possibly Europe. He is playing among the elite and the elite can, well, play.
The difference between the sides like Spurs and Rovers is huge. We've seen the difference on these shores.
Think back to David Beckham's two appearances in this country with the LA Galaxy. The best players in the world are like him, they can land a ball on a tea towel at ranges of up to 60m.
It's not so important for the men at the back but, as we saw on Wednesday night at Mt Smart Stadium, Nelsen coughs the ball up way too often. He is a great stopper, he is a fantastic leader, he is the ultimate team man and few in the world read the game better defensively than he does.
But at the top level, when he gets the ball, he needs to be able to give it to someone who can play.
You wouldn't have heard about that in the sycophantic tributes paid Nelsen by our partisan boys in the commentary box, or read it in the next day's match reviews, but he put possession at risk as often as any of his team-mates.
And when the likes of Ledley King, Michael Dawson or Younes Kaboul win the ball off Wayne Rooney tomorrow morning, Harry Redknapp will trust them not to do the same.
That's no slight on Nelsen, by some margin the most influential Kiwi football player ever. Technically he's not the best - Wynton Rufer takes that title in a canter after winning trophies with decent European teams based largely on his goal-scoring.
But Nelsen has had more visibility, has done more for the All Whites and post his playing career, will surely have more long-term impact on the national game. Rufer is, unfortunately, too flaky to have any sort of leading role.
So what of the All Whites' chances of heading to Brazil in two years? It's not a pipe dream.
They will strike an opponent similar to Jamaica from the North American/Caribbean confederation. This time out, they were under prepared and trying a range of youngsters; Jamaica were just out of a series with Cuba.
Despite the loss, the young guys showed there is plenty of hope. Chris Wood has the size and skill to be a better targetman than either Shane Smeltz or Chris Killen and, though he was given a rough ride by Notts County pro Damian Stewart, he kept the ball better than most.
In midfield, Michael McGlinchey displayed a desire to look forward, a relief compared to the traditional lateral movement we've seen from former playmaker Simon Elliott, while Marco Rojas is a rare New Zealander with man-beating ability.
But it's at the back where the Kiwis are best served. With Nelsen leading the line and Tommy Smith looking as comfortable on the ball as anyone, and West Ham's Winston Reid's physicality to the fore, we're a chance of getting to Rio.
Reid's injury at halftime proved conclusively the step up from the Australian league to the English game, with Ben Sigmund's hopeful lumping of the ball forward a sight of All Whites' teams of yesteryear.
There also has to be doubt on Tim Brown's technique on the big stage and Kosta Barbarouses' suitability under pressure.
But the All Whites to emulate Australia and make back-to-back World Cups? Don't scoff. It's more likely than Nelsen starring in the Champions League next year.
One of the elite clubs in Europe \o/
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10789654
It would be a brave man who criticised New Zealand football captain Ryan Nelsen right now.
He's signed with one of the glamour clubs in the English Premier League; he was more responsible than any other individual (coach Ricki Herbert included) for our stunning performances at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa; and he flew halfway around the world to play a strong role in the All Whites' friendly match with Jamaica just this week.
But there's a reason you didn't see him on the field when Tottenham Hotspur took on Arsenal last weekend and it's the same reason he's unlikely to have much of a role in one of the English matches of the season tomorrow (Spurs vs Manchester United). Put simply, Ryan Nelsen can't play.
Is that brave or what? And here's the logic.
Nelsen's move to Spurs from Blackburn Rovers has elevated him from a side of perennial battlers to one of the most powerful clubs in England, possibly Europe. He is playing among the elite and the elite can, well, play.
The difference between the sides like Spurs and Rovers is huge. We've seen the difference on these shores.
Think back to David Beckham's two appearances in this country with the LA Galaxy. The best players in the world are like him, they can land a ball on a tea towel at ranges of up to 60m.
It's not so important for the men at the back but, as we saw on Wednesday night at Mt Smart Stadium, Nelsen coughs the ball up way too often. He is a great stopper, he is a fantastic leader, he is the ultimate team man and few in the world read the game better defensively than he does.
But at the top level, when he gets the ball, he needs to be able to give it to someone who can play.
You wouldn't have heard about that in the sycophantic tributes paid Nelsen by our partisan boys in the commentary box, or read it in the next day's match reviews, but he put possession at risk as often as any of his team-mates.
And when the likes of Ledley King, Michael Dawson or Younes Kaboul win the ball off Wayne Rooney tomorrow morning, Harry Redknapp will trust them not to do the same.
That's no slight on Nelsen, by some margin the most influential Kiwi football player ever. Technically he's not the best - Wynton Rufer takes that title in a canter after winning trophies with decent European teams based largely on his goal-scoring.
But Nelsen has had more visibility, has done more for the All Whites and post his playing career, will surely have more long-term impact on the national game. Rufer is, unfortunately, too flaky to have any sort of leading role.
So what of the All Whites' chances of heading to Brazil in two years? It's not a pipe dream.
They will strike an opponent similar to Jamaica from the North American/Caribbean confederation. This time out, they were under prepared and trying a range of youngsters; Jamaica were just out of a series with Cuba.
Despite the loss, the young guys showed there is plenty of hope. Chris Wood has the size and skill to be a better targetman than either Shane Smeltz or Chris Killen and, though he was given a rough ride by Notts County pro Damian Stewart, he kept the ball better than most.
In midfield, Michael McGlinchey displayed a desire to look forward, a relief compared to the traditional lateral movement we've seen from former playmaker Simon Elliott, while Marco Rojas is a rare New Zealander with man-beating ability.
But it's at the back where the Kiwis are best served. With Nelsen leading the line and Tommy Smith looking as comfortable on the ball as anyone, and West Ham's Winston Reid's physicality to the fore, we're a chance of getting to Rio.
Reid's injury at halftime proved conclusively the step up from the Australian league to the English game, with Ben Sigmund's hopeful lumping of the ball forward a sight of All Whites' teams of yesteryear.
There also has to be doubt on Tim Brown's technique on the big stage and Kosta Barbarouses' suitability under pressure.
But the All Whites to emulate Australia and make back-to-back World Cups? Don't scoff. It's more likely than Nelsen starring in the Champions League next year.
Howard Webb
Clive Wilson
"They are big, physical and theyÔÇÖve already put some good teams out of the FA Cup, including Saudi Sportswashing Machine last season, and Reading this time around.
"WeÔÇÖll look to start well and dictate the game from there."
why do we let players talk to the papers? ](*,)
Dont think he had a terrible match btw, penalty aside.
"WeÔÇÖll look to start well and dictate the game from there."
why do we let players talk to the papers? ](*,)
Dont think he had a terrible match btw, penalty aside.
Leeds Spur
Banned
Players speak to media shocker......
Howard Webb
Clive Wilson
I only start threads so you can ruin them with three days of argument about something else.
braineclipse
Willie Hall
Apart from the penalty he had two very good games against Stevenage. Fantastic in the air, constantly winning headers against a team so physically strong that Kaboul was struggling. Good on the ball, generally calm and in the first game especially in the right place at the right time a lot. The penalty was poor, schoolboy error where there was no need to go to ground. But everyone makes mistakes, even King. He looks quicker than I expected too.
Glad we have him here.
Glad we have him here.