Jose laments 'prince' Sheva

But tips Ukrainian to rediscover best form on Milan return

Last updated: 27th August 2008

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Inter Milan boss Jose Mourinho has wished Andriy Shevchenko well on his return to Italy, but concedes the striker was never his first-choice signing, having arrived at Chelsea from AC Milan with a 'prince-like' status.

In a candid video interview, released by Ford's FeelFootball.com, Mourinho has claimed that while he never had a personal problem with the player during their time together in West London, the Ukrainian was never top of his wanted list.

Blues owner Roman Abramovich paid £30million to sign Shevchenko from Milan, but after two disappointing seasons in the capital he has now returned to his former club, where he will again come face-to-face with Mourinho in Serie A.

"I believe that in the future he will again be a player of high quality but maybe he needs a change, a different challenge and a different environment to be happy," Mourinho told Ford's FeelFootball.com.

"He was not my first option, but the club gave him to me as a second option. I had a first option and a second option that were not possible.

Third choice

"I knew at the time that the club was doing everything possible to get these two players that I wanted - or one of them - who was not possible but for different reasons. And when I was faced with the possibility of Shevchenko I said yes, because he is, no doubts about it, a player of high quality.

"But he was like a prince in Milan - and in Chelsea our philosophy was different, we had no princes, everybody is the same, no statues, everybody needs to work like everybody else - and everybody needs to prove that he deserves to play. So I think that maybe he lost some self-confidence.

"You know the different factors: a different life, a different club, a different league, a different environment - and step by step a player goes in the wrong direction."

Fresh start

While Mourinho laments their unproductive working relationship at Chelsea, he nonetheless expects the player to return to something like his best form now he has returned to Milan.

"He is a very good player and to be fair I wish him to become again the Sheva that everybody, including myself, admires," the Portuguese concluded.

"The truth is I never had a single personal problem with him and I wish him well for the future."