one of the cavalcade of stars big oil money brought to the Eastlands this summer. The pressure on Hughes to win is enormous, but for Blackburn and Nelsen the need to avoid another relegation battle is paramount.
In the mid-1990s, backed by an owner with deep pockets, Blackburn were the upstarts that changed the face of English soccer. But these days they struggle to compete in the EPL financial league dominated by assorted sheikhs, oligarchs and businessmen well versed in the art of creative debt refinancing.
Which is why Nelsen's leadership is so important to Blackburn. He is not afraid to speak his mind, candidly saying that the Blackburn board were correct to fire manager Paul Ince after the team's poor start last season. With Rovers fans trying not to panic about its anemic looking strike force, Nelsen has been vocal in supporting his teammates, telling the Lancashire Telegraph, "We all know the manager is looking for a replacement for Roque but there will be no panic or rush. There doesn't need to be at the moment because we still have quality strikers available."
Last season, Nelsen called on the fans to make more noise at home games and in a key relegation six-pointer with Wigan scored his first-ever goal for the club in a 2-0 win that considerably eased Rovers' relegation worries. While the Blackburn captain is far too much of a pragmatist to make any predictions for the coming season, he did make one promise to the fans recently on the team website.
"The Premier League is the hardest league in the world, so you can't guarantee wins, but one thing you can guarantee is that we'll be fit and fully prepared."
Ironically, after a restful summer break and a solid preseason, the injury bug might have hit Nelsen again at just the wrong moment. Forty years ago, The Beatles sang about 4,000 holes in Blackburn, Lancashire, but this week Rovers fans fear that Saturday will feature a huge hole in their defense if their best defender can't answer the opening bell. But as Nelsen's long journey from China last year demonstrates, he'll do everything he can to get on the field. Let the EPL games begin.
UEFA Europa League
In second leg, third-round preliminary play on Thursday, Aug. 6, U.S. national team star and former Revs striker
Clint Dempsey
played the full 90 as Fulham (England) rolled over FK Vetra (Lithuania) 3-0 at Craven Cottage to record a 6-0 aggregate win. Former FC Dallas and Kansas City Wizards forward
Eddie Johnson
came on for the last eight minutes of the game. Fulham's other Johnson, Andy, scored two goals. Fulham will play FC Amkar Perm (Russia) in the next round.
Ex-Colorado Rapids defender Dedi Ben Dayan played the full 90 as Hapoel Tel Aviv (Israel) advanced 4-2 on aggregate after holding IFK Goteborg (Sweden) at home 1-1. Hapoel will play FK Teplice (Czech Republic) in the next round.
Another Rapids alumnus also saw his team record a 1-1 home tie but that wasn't enough for Tom McManus' Derry City (Ireland) to advance past CSKA Sofia (Bulgaria), losing 2-1 on aggregate.
Also on the losing side of the aggregate ledger was ex-D.C. United goalkeeper Troy Perkins. His Valerenga (Norway) won 1-0 at PAOK Salonika (Greece), but lost on the away goals rule having lost 2-1 at home last week.
Ex-FC Dallas striker Juan Toja was suspended for Steaua Bucharest's (Romania) 3-1 road win at Motherwell (Scotland). The Romanian's advanced 6-1 on aggregate and will play St. Patrick's Athletic (Ireland) in the next round. Two-team-MLS veteran Douglas Sequeira was a second-half substitute for Tromso IL (Norway) as they won a 2-0 at NK Slaven Koprivnica (Croatia) to advance 4-1 on aggregate. Tromso play Atletico Bilbao (Spain) in the next round.
Other MLS alums will see Europa League action in the next round as higher seeded teams enter the tournament. A pair of former MLS Goalkeepers of the Year, Brad Friedel and Brad Guzan, will be part of the Aston Villa squad that will face Rapid Vienna (Austria.) Freddy Adu's Benfica play Vorskla Poltava (Ukraine), and Tim Howard's Everton plays SK Sigma Olomouc (Czech Republic).
The games will be played over two legs, the first leg is scheduled for Aug. 20, the return leg for Aug. 27.
CONCACAF Champions League
In second leg, first round preliminary play on Thursday, Aug. 6, ex-New England striker
Ricardo Phillips'
San Francisco (Panama) could not hold a 2-0 first leg lead and was eliminated after losing 3-0 at San Juan Jabloteh (Trinidad). Also on Thursday, former LA Galaxy striker
Carlos Pavon
led his new side Real CD Espana (Honduras) in a remarkable come-from-behind victory against Liberia Municipal (Costa Rica). Trailing 3-0 after the first leg, paced by a Pavon hat trick, Espana won the return leg, 6-0, to win the tie, 6-3 on aggregate. Another former Galaxy player, defender
Michael Umana
played the full 90 for Liberia Municipal. On Wednesday, Aug. 5, former Crew and Fire forward
Andy Herron
played the full 90 as CS Herediano (Costa Rica) tied 0-0 at Cruz Azul (Mexico), after losing 6-2 last week at home.
Elsewhere Around the World
In Australia, on opening weekend of the Hyundai A-League, ex-FC Dallas striker
Victor Sikora
played the full 90 and picked up a yellow card as Perth Glory lost 1-0 at Adelaide United on Friday, Aug. 7. On Saturday, Aug. 8, former Revs defender
Tony Lochhead
also picked up a yellow card as the Wellington Phoenix lost 2-1 at the Newcastle Jets. Lochhead's teammate and fellow MLS alum
Diego
, who saw playing time with the Columbus Crew and the Kansas City Wizards, was a second-half substitute for the Phoenix.
In Bolivia, in a rescheduled game from Week 1 of the Torneo Clausura, former MetroStars midfielder Joselito Vaca played the full 90 as Oriente Petrolero beat Real Mamore 1-0 at home on Wednesday, Aug. 5. Leonardo Medina scored the winner in the 65th minute. On Sunday, Medina was OP's hero again, scoring the only goal as they recorded their second 1-0 home win of the week, this time over Apertura champions Real Potosi. Vaca started, but came out of the game in the 77th minute.
In Colombia, in Week 5 of the Copa Mustang II, former MetroStars striker Sergio Galvan Rey stayed on the bench for Atletico National's 2-2 home tie with Deportes Tolima on Sunday, Aug. 9.
In Denmark, former Revs central defender Michael Parkhurst played the full 90 as FC Nordsjaelland continued their unbeaten start to the season with a 3-0 home win over Silkeborg IF on Saturday, Aug. 8. On Sunday, former Galaxy defender Danny Califf did not dress for FC Midtjylland as they gained their first win of the season, a decisive 4-1 home victory over Randers FC.
In Ecuador, in Week 4 of the Segunda Fase, El Nacional downed Espoli 4-0 at home on Friday, Aug. 6. Two early first-half strikes by Edmundo Zara led El Nacional for whom former MetroStars and LA Galaxy midfielder Wellington Sanchez played the full 90.
In England, former Columbus Crew striker Stern John made his debut for Crystal Palace on Saturday as The Championship got underway. But his season start was cut short as he injured his elbow after falling awkwardly after an aerial challenge for the ball. It was feared at first that John had broken his arm, but scans revealed no break. Palace tied their home opener 1-1 with Plymouth Argyle.
In League One action, former Toronto FC midfielder Andy Welsh started for Yeovil Town in their 2-0 home win over Tranmere Rovers. He came out in the 84th minute. The game marked former Liverpool legend and ex-Jamaica national team head coach John Barnes' league debut as Tranmere manager. In perhaps the worst imaginable start to the season, former Colorado Rapids defender Ian Butterworth had to look on as Norwich City lost 7-1 at home to Colchester, the worst home loss in the team's 107-year history. Butterworth has been Bryan Gunn's assistant manager with the Canaries since February 2009, first on an interim basis and permanently since May.
In France, U.S. national team captain Carlos Bocanegra played the full 90 as Rennes opened the Ligue Une season with a comfortable 3-0 home win over Boulogne.
In Germany on Sunday, former MetroStars midfielder Michael Bradley was involved in a tale of two halves on the opening weekend of the Bundesliga season. Bradley's Borussia Monchengladbach jumped out to a 3-0 first half lead at VfL Bochum, but then the Foals gave up three second half goals for a 3-3 tie. Bradley picked up a yellow card in the first half and came out of the game in the 70th minute.
In Bundesliga.2 action, ex-FC Dallas striker Kenny Cooper took just 17 minutes to get on the scoresheet in his league debut for TSV 1860 Munich, who beat TuS Koblenz 2-0 at home on Sunday, Aug. 9.
Also on Sunday, another former MLS striker Matt Taylor made his league debut for FSV Frankfurt. He came into the game as a 71st-minute substitute in Frankfurt's 2-1 home loss to MSV Duisburg.
In Ireland, in First Division action, former Revs striker Richie Baker played the full 90 as Shelbourne won 2-0 win at Longford Town to remain atop the standings.
In Mexico, in Week 3 of the Torneo Apertura, former Chivas USA striker Isaac Romo played the full 90 as Querétaro tied 1-1 at home with Puebla on Saturday, Aug. 8. Multi-team MLS veteran Carlos Ruiz played the full 90 for Puebla. After coming out at halftime of Cruz Azul's 3-0 win at Pumas last week, former Chivas USA midfielder Ramon Nunez was able to start on Saturday in the 2-0 home win over Monterrey. Former FC Dallas defender Duilio Davino played the full 90 for Monterrey. Former Colorado Rapids defender Alain N'Kong started for Indios de Ciudad Jurarez in their 1-0 home loss to Club America. The Indios have yet to score a goal this season. Another Rapids alumni, Daniel Osorno, picked up a yellow card in Atlas' 2-1 win over Santos.
On Sunday, former Chivas USA striker Francisco Palencia put in a 60-minute shift as Clausura champions UNAM continued their winless start to the Apertura season. Pumas lost 3-0 at Toluca.
In Norway, it was Norwegian Cup quarterfinal action. On Saturday, Aug. 8, former Fire and Wizards midfielder Khari Stephenson scored Aalesunds third goal in the 3-1 home win over Stabaek. Ex-D.C. United goalkeeper Troy Perkins manned the Valerenga nets as they rallied from a 3-1 deficit to beat Tromso 4-3 on Sunday, Aug. 9. In the semifinals, Valerenga will play Molde, while Aalesunds take on Odd Grenland in ties that will be played the weekend of September 23-24.
In Peru, on Saturday, Aug. 8, in Week 26 of the Primera Profesional de Peru, former D.C. United goalkeeper Jose Carvallo remained on the bench as Sporting Cristal beat Jose Galvez 2-0 at home.
In South Africa, Bulgarian legend and former Fire and D.C. United striker Hristo Stoichkov made a winning league debut as head coach of the Mamelodi Sundowns on Saturday, Aug. 8, as the South African Premiership got underway. The Sundowns recorded a 2-0 home win over the newly promoted Mpumalanga Black Aces. On Sunday, former Chicago Fire and Real Salt Lake midfielder Dipsy Selolwane played the full 90 as Ajax Cape Town lost its home opener 1-0 to the Orlando Pirates.
Tradewinds
On Sunday, August 9, the English tabloid
The News of the World
reported that former Revs star
Clint Dempsey
is set to sign a new four-year contract with Fulham this week.
On Monday, Aug. 10, Jozy Altidore's loan move to Hull City was completed after he was granted a British work permit. It is reported that Hull has an option to buy the former Red Bulls striker from Villarreal at the end of the season.
Ghana international striker Junior Agogo, who played for the Fire, Rapids and Earthquakes during his two MLS seasons (2000-2001), joined Appollon Limassol (Cyprus) last week, ending a contentious stint in Egypt with El Zamalek.
Performance of the Week
As the saying goes: you only get one chance to make a first impression. And
Kenny Cooper
certainly made a good impression on Sunday in his debut for TSV 1860 Munich in the 2-0 win over TuS Koblenz. The former FC Dallas striker has had little time to adjust to life in Bavaria following his recent transfer, but that didn't stop him from doing what he does best on the pitch: scoring. It took him just 17 minutes to open his Bundesliga.2 account. Left unmarked at the back post, he sent a bullet header into the roof of net from about 8 yards. At first it looked as though the ball may not have gone over the line, but replays showed the referee had made the right call and that the goal was good. There is no better way to endear yourself to new teammates, coaches and fans than by scoring on your debut. And for that Cooper gets the Performance of the Week.
Mark C. Young is an Emmy Award-winning freelance writer/TV producer who has covered several FIFA World Cups and Olympic Games. He is a contributor to Goal.com and also writes for the blog "No Mas."
