BLACKBURN Rovers defender Ryan Nelsen believes he'll return stronger, bigger and faster' from the injury that has sidelined him for the first half of the season.

Nelsen, who picked up the Supreme Men's award for the second successive year at New Zealand Soccer's annual dinner in Auckland recently, says his recovery plan is well ahead of schedule.

The defender had an operation in September after surgeons discovered his hamstring had ripped completely from the bone - an injury no other Premiership player has ever suffered.

Nelsen was expected to be out until at least the end of January, but the signs are that he could return sooner, perhaps by early January.

The Kiwi international, one of the driving forces behind Rovers' charge to Europe last season, said: "I'm way ahead of schedule, but I have to wait 16 weeks (after the operation on Sept 8) before I can play.

"I'm doing pretty much everything in training, running, working with the ball.

"It's just the real sprint stuff, but I'm pretty close."

Nelsen's return will come as a huge boost to boss Mark Hughes, who could lose Lucas Neill in the January transfer window.

Hughes said recently: "Ryan is very positive about his injury, and he was saying he was finding it difficult stopping himself from sprinting around the block, because he feels that good.

"He's walking around with a smile on his face and he's very positive about the injury he's had."

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