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All Whites skipper Ryan Nelsen - Source: Photosport -
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While most players in the English Premier League bend over backwards to please their managers, All Whites skipper Ryan Nelsen is hoping to annoy Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce this weekend.
Because if everything goes according to plan, Nelsen will have led his New Zealand team into the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa by winning the second leg of their World Cup qualifier against against Bahrain on Saturday.
That would mean missing out on valuable rest between the English seasons and risk upsetting Allardyce, but Nelsen said that was a price he was willing to pay.
"I think the only person who doesn't want me to get there is the manager, because I'll pretty much be playing two years straight," the Blackburn Rovers central defender and captain said.
"So hopefully I'll annoy him after this game."
Despite poking fun at his manager, Nelsen said he knew he had the support of all his Blackburn team mates, though he was sceptical about their motives.
"They have been so supportive," Nelsen said. "They have been wishing me and New Zealand so much luck.
"Though I think for some of them they think if we get through they think it'll be an easier game for them."
As has been well reported, the All Whites have only qualified for the World Cup finals once before, in 1982, but are on the verge of making their second appearance.
The teams drew 0-0 away in Manama last month, leaving everything to play for in Saturday's return leg at Wellington's sold-out Westpac stadium.
The 32-year-old Nelsen jokingly told reporters he was just an infant when New Zealand last qualified but hoped his own side would create memories for the next generation.
"I was very young. I was six months or one. I'm 26 now," he said with a grin, indicating his greying hair was in fact "Arctic blonde streaks".
"I can remember my father waking me up in the early hours to watch. I didn't know what it was because I was pretty young, but I do remember getting up and being excited and not really udnerstanding it.
"Ricki showed us the (footage) of some of the old games, when he had a perm down to his shoulders and a few horrendous haircuts were floating around.
"It was really nostalgic and awe-inspiring to see these guys at those level and gave us some major motivation.
"Hopefully in a few years time people will be looking back and laughing at our horrendous haircuts."
Don't forget you can watch delayed coverage of the All Whites v Bahrain on TV ONE at 10.45pm on Saturday November 14, you can also catch the match in full on tvnz.co.nz Ondemand
