Hleb: OAP Sheva Move Not Wise

Arsenal wiley winger Alex Hleb says it was a mistake for Shevchenko to move to the premiership at this late stage in his career.

Speaking with that most reputable newspaper, The Sun, Hleb says that the adjustment to the frantic pace of the Premiership at his age was probably one step too far.

‘I would never have risked coming to England towards the end of my career,’ explained Hleb to the Sun.

‘The older you get, the harder it gets. Shevchenko is not the first great footballer who has not managed to crown himself in glory here. I was never convinced he would be able to play in England. I don’t have anything against him.’

‘The problem lies in the style of the England league, in terms of the tempo, and the time you get to think on the pitch. The younger a player is, the easier it is for him to adapt and get to grips with English football.’

Whilst we may get a few Chelsea fans here defending their player, I’ve not seen anything from Sheva which suggests Hleb is speaking anything other than the truth.