Sheva Nets Vs Mourinho As Birmingham Take Interest

The relationship between our former manager Jose Mourinho and the most expensive signing in our history, Andriy Shevchenko, remained a mysterious one during their time at Stamford Bridge. Rumours constantly abounded that Shevchenko, bought for £30m, was a signing orchestrated from the top of the club, over Mourinho`s head. Roman Abramovich, the club owner, had a strong personal friendship with the Ukrainian striker, and this gave further weight to the suggestions that Shevchenko was never really a Mourinho signing.

The pair struggled to see eye-to-eye throughout the 2006-07 campaign, Shevchenko`s first in SW6, and it has gone down in club folklore that their relationship was, at best, fraught, and at worst, non-existent.

So it was rather amusing to see the former Milan hitman strike the opener for his new club side Dynamo Kiev last night, against Mourinho`s Inter Milan, a goal that prompted Mourinho to remark,

"Shevchenko is very much back. Here again is the player we could see three or four years ago. He again became a great football player."

Which begs the question; why couldn`t Mourinho bring out that greatness in the striker at Chelsea? Was it perhaps a case of wouldn`t rather than couldn`t help Sheva justify his massive price tag and become a hit in West London?

All questions which, by and large, will remain unanswered, at least to those of us without some kind of inside knowledge of their respective spells at the club. Shevchenko goes down on paper as a massive failure in English football, and that`s hardly going to change in the future.

Unless new Birmingham City owner Carson Yeung has anything to do with it. The Brummies are apparently keen on giving Shevchenko a second chance in the Premier League, viewing his household name and global status as a real asset to their marketing plans. The new investment into City leaves them largely capable of tempting Kiev with a bid, although Dynamo president Igor Surkis is confident the forward will be true to his word, and remain in Ukraine until he hangs up his boots.

'I haven't received an offer, but, for me, it's pleasant that Andriy is in demand," said Surkis.

"Shevchenko is reborn, becoming as he was before leaving for Milan (in 1999). His eye for goal and speed will return."

'As for offers? It doesn't just depend on me, but also on Andriy. In the summer he made a patriotic decision, rejecting offers from Italy, Spain and Turkey. I don't think he wants anything to change.'

So, a return to Britain may well be a bit of a long shot, although a revisit with Dynamo could be slightly more likely.

Shevchenko`s goal last night wasn`t enough to prevent a 2-1 defeat to Inter, although Kiev remain just two points adrift of the Italian group leaders with two games to play, in what is arguably the toughest and tightest of the Champions League groups.

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