Jose: Sheva not untouchable
08 Dec 2006 - 08:53:46
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- Jose: Sheva not untouchable
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho claims £30million Andriy Shevchenko is not one of the 'untouchable' stars at Stamford Bridge but has denied suggestions he is under pressure from AS Roman Abramovich to pick the striker.
The Ukraine international has been the subject of intense speculation in recent days linking him with a move back to Italian football.
The 30-year-old has netted just five times in all competitions for the Blues since his summer switch from AC Milan, but Mourinho has denied claims that his team selections are influenced by Chelsea's Russian benefactor.
"If Abramovich doesn't trust the manager, he has enough money to sack me," he said.
"Sheva is not untouchable because of the way he is playing. I play the best players at the time.
"Claude Makelele, Michael Essien and Frank Lampard are untouchable because of the way they play, not because I love them.
"Michael Ballack is untouchable because of the way he plays. John Terry is untouchable. Ricardo Carvalho, Ashley Cole and Didier Drogba - they are untouchable."
However, Mourinho has backed Shevchenko to find his feet in the Premiership.
"The way football is played in Italy and England is completely different," he continued.
"We have in Thierry Henry the best example of that.
"I know he's the best goalscorer in the last few years in this country, an amazing player, but he scored one goal in 12 Premiership matches when he first changed Juventus for Arsenal.
"We need to give Sheva time. I give him time. The good thing is that he is not happy with the way he is performing. If he was happy, we would have a problem."