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Andriy Shevchenko

Andriy Shevchenko has added to the intrigue surrounding his non-appearance for Chelsea this season by admitting he does not know why he has not played. The manager, Jose Mourinho, has insisted that Shevchenko has not been match fit following a niggling back injury. But Shevchenko, who played for 55 minutes in Ukraine's 2-1 friendly win over Uzbekistan on August 22, appears to disagree.
The striker is now back with the Ukraine squad to prepare for their Euro 2008 qualifying ties, away to Georgia on Saturday and at home to Italy next Wednesday. He is primed to start against Georgia. "At Chelsea, I am not playing and I don't know why," he said. "I have not understood this but I am waiting for my chance."
Shevchenko played in Chelsea's three matches on their pre-season
tour of the United States and then appeared in the subsequent friendlies against Feyenoord and Rangers. He did not travel to Denmark for the final pre-season friendly with Brondby but he did train in the countdown to the Community Shield showpiece against Manchester United on August 5 and expected to feature.
At the time, Shevchenko's adviser Fabio Parisi, said: "It's a small problem and it's not something that has suddenly happened. His back is tired, it's been a gradual thing. Jose Mourinho did not want to take the risk [in the Community Shield]."
Mourinho has not included Shevchenko in any of his match-day squads in the Premier League this season, most recently at Aston Villa on Sunday. He signed Claudio Pizarro on a Bosman free transfer from Bayern Munich over the summer to swell his attacking options that already included Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou, and Shevchenko has been left under no illusions that he must fight for prominence.
"He's got to wait for his opportunity and when he gets it, he has to take it," said Steve Clarke, the assistant manager. "There are another three strikers there as well as Shevchenko."
Chelsea's owner, Roman Abramovich, counts Shevchenko as a personal friend and he oversaw his £30m transfer from Milan in May 2006. Mourinho, though, has yet to be convinced by the 31-year-old and the pair fell out at the time of the Champions League semifinal second leg at Liverpool. Shevchenko was left out of the starting line-up and did not make the bench, after he felt an injury. Their relationship has been more difficult since.
Abramovich has ordered Mourinho to play more entertaining football and although the Portuguese is trying, starting with two wingers and, until the defeat at Villa, two strikers as well, the team has not yet clicked this season. A frustrated Abramovich made an early exit from his Villa Park seat and he expects to see Shevchenko return to action. Pressure will be on Mourinho to select him after the international break, on Saturday week, when Blackburn visit Stamford Bridge.
Meanwhile, Michael Ballack's Chelsea future will come under further scrutiny after Germany's coach, Joachim Loew, yesterday claimed the player was mystified by the club's decision to omit him from their squad for the Champions League group stage.
Ballack was left out after his club insisted an ankle injury would prevent him from being fit. But Loew, preparing Germany for their qualifier against Wales, said: "I discussed it with Michael and he could not fully explain Chelsea's decision to me. Chelsea's doctors estimate he will not be able to play for two to three more months, but Michael is much more optimistic and expects to play sooner. For us, Chelsea's decision isn't justifiable."