English Premiership
Nelsen pressures new owners
2010-12-20 18:29
Ryan Nelson (Gallo Images)
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Blackburn - Blackburn captain Ryan Nelsen has told the Premier League club's Indian owners to reveal their plan to find a successor to sacked boss Sam Allardyce.
Venky's, the Indian poultry firm who completed their takeover of Rovers in November, surprisingly axed Allardyce last week even though the unfashionable team were in a commendable mid-table position in the Premier League.
First-team coach Steve Kean has been installed as caretaker boss, with the Venky's chairwoman, Anuradha Desai saying they are prepared to take up to two months to find Allardyce's permanent successor.
New Zealand defender Nelsen, who scored Blackburn's goal on Saturday as they were held to a 1-1 draw by West Ham in Kean's first game in charge, has been left bemused by the situation.
"The new owners want to do it their way, I've no problem with that," Nelsen told the Lancashire Telegraph.
"Good for them. But we're down in the trenches fighting and the Premier League is not easy. It's as tough as it gets in any sport.
"It would be nice when you're down in the trenches fighting to get a bit of communication - so that's what I'd say to them.
"Listen, I have no problem with any owners doing anything, it's their club.
"But the thing is when you make a monumental decision like that - and it's the biggest decision any club can make - you like to think there's a back-up plan.
"We as players know nothing, the staff know nothing. Nobody knows anything about what's going on."
Nelsen believes the events of the past few days took their toll on the team's performance against the Hammers.
"It really was a strange atmosphere," Nelsen added. "I think it showed in the game, it wasn't great quality.
"The tension was in the players and it was in the crowd as well. You can't blame anyone for that.
"The decision that was made has caused this kind of tension. It was portrayed out there.
"I have to be honest and say I've never known anything like this in my career. Managers have come and gone but not like this. This is something new to all of us."