Shevchenko was ‘a second option’ at Chelsea, claims ex-manager

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It’s probably true to say that Jose Mourinho and Andriy Shevchenko aren’t on each other’s Christmas card lists. While the current Inter boss can claim all he likes that he didn’t have a single problem with the striker when the pair were at Stamford Bridge, the signs indicated that there was little love lost.

The BBC report that Mourinho can explain why the Ukrainian wasn’t a rip-roaring success at Chelsea – and no, it’s not because he kept getting left on the bench! Apparently, it was because Sheva was used to being treated like royalty at Milan and wasn’t getting the same treatment in London.

Mourinho also claims the Ukrainian was not his first choice signing when Chelsea manger but was “given to him as a second option” by the club in 2006.

He said: “He was like a prince in Milan and at Chelsea our philosophy was different, we had no princes.

“Everybody needs to work like everybody else and prove he deserves to play.”

The striker left Chelsea earlier this week, citing injuries as the main reason why he couldn’t get going in the Premier League. However, was it mainly down to a lack of hard work on his part instead? Blues fans will not have too many fond memories of Sheva’s time at the club. despite there being feverish excitement when it was announced that he’d be signing.

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