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The whole scope of the injury misery that led to Andriiy Shevchenkov’s nightmare at Chelsea has been made public.
The £30.8 million trade brought the legendary Ukrainian to Stamford Bridge in 2006, but he never lived up to the hype, managing just 22 goals in two years.
His time at the Blues was marred by injuries, and his latest book, My Life, My Football, details how his body nearly failed him.
The 47-year-old Shevchenko describes how he had a problem when he came in Germany after the 2006 World Cup and how his back injury and two hernia surgery never healed.
“I would like people to understand that my physical issues were the cause of my difficulties,” he stated.
“The fans were wonderful to work with, but regrettably I was never able to give them my all. I thought I might have to give up playing football.
“I felt awful for the club and its patrons. I would have done anything in the world to repay them for their love. Rather, I was fractured.
Shevchenko had issues even prior to joining Chelsea.
Shevchenko sustained a knee injury during Ukraine’s 3-0 World Cup quarterfinal loss against eventual champions Italy.
At the beginning of his Blues career, he was worn out by his hurried recuperation.
“I gave it my all and did my best; that was just my way,” he remarked. Even so, I was aware that my motor wasn’t functioning properly.
“The newspapers were very critical of me, but the true issue was that damned fatigue that never went away,” the author said.
By early 2007, things had improved. Shevchenko found a hernia, but Chelsea still won the League Cup.
He persevered despite the discomfort, missing the FA Cup final vs Manchester United and the second leg of the Champions League semi-final against Liverpool before undergoing a summer operation.
“Something went wrong during the operation,” he disclosed. I never returned to my previous state.
Shevchenko started the following season still not feeling well, and after his unsuccessful operation, he suffered a herniated disc in his back during a 4–4 Boxing Day draw with Aston Villa, in which he scored twice.
“I lost all my strength,” he continued. I was playing at my best right then and there, not the ideal time to get hurt.
Shevchenko stated, “I was barely a shadow of the player I used to be,” despite working his way back to health.
After being forced to watch the 2008 Champions League final loss to Manchester United from the sidelines and learning on a trip to the US that his hernia had resurfaced and needed more surgery, the season ended in even greater dejection.
The striker hobbled through the preseason but accepted defeat, asking to return to AC Milan to complete his tenure with the Blues.
