© EuroFootball.com
London team defender Aleksandras Hlebas stated that Andrei Shevchenko's age is hindering his ability to establish himself in the English Premier League - according to the Belarusian, the Ukrainian is simply too old.
The 30-year-old A. Shevchenko left AC Milan in the summer of 2006 for approximately 30 million pounds and moved to London, however, this season he was only a shadow of his own excellent performances in the Italian championship and European cup tournaments.
The striker, who tragically struggles in matches, not only lost his place in the starting lineup of the "Blues", but also lost the trust of coach Jose Mourinho and the fans.
"I definitely wouldn't have risked coming to play in England approaching the end of my career," said Hlebas. "The older you get, the harder it is to adapt to different leagues. I was never sure that Shevchenko could play here. Personally, I have nothing against him, as I respect and appreciate him as a great player."
"The essence is that problems arise such as the English style of play, the fast pace, and the amount of thinking time on the field. The Italian and English leagues are very different, so the younger the player, the easier it is for him to adapt and understand all the subtleties."
The Belarusian did not rule out the possibility that the problem could also lie in the Chelsea coaching staff.
"Rumors say that Mourinho and Shevchenko did not find a common language. In my case, the help of Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger in adapting to a different style and country was invaluable," said the defender.
