Source: PA
Kean praises Nelsen focus
Blackburn boss Steve Kean hailed the attitude of Ryan Nelsen after the defender continued to train despite not knowing whether his family and friends were safe following the devastating earthquake that hit his home city of Christchurch this week.
The 33-year-old first learned about the quake around 2am on Tuesday when he began to receive text messages from friends, and events took a very personal turn for the 33-year-old as his sister Stephanie went into labour before giving birth to baby George.
The New Zealand captain did not ask for any time off and will fill his regular spot in central defence for Saturday's Barclays Premier League trip to face Aston Villa.
Kean said: "I asked Ryan if he wanted to have some time off and get back home but, typical Ryan, he wanted to do his session. It gave him a different focus for a couple of hours and that's what he wanted. Thankfully everything's okay and his sister's well.
"If you take the weekend off and you go away then I think the whole thing builds up on top of your shoulders. If he can train and play and then go back home and support his family I think that's as good a way as there can be to really deal with it."
