He said: “I am a brave player and I never refuse a challenge. I have a winner’s mentality and I left Milan to be a success in the Premiership. It has not entered my head to leave and not only because I have a contract until 2010.
“That is the least of the reasons. It is simply a question of pride to fight for my place and to score goals. To leave this club would be to confirm my failure and I have never been a failure in football, not even in the worst moments of my career.”
Shevchenko added: “I know that, in the end, I will succeed and the people will be with me.
“I would stake anything on me having scored more than 10 goals in the league before the end of the season. I have the desire to give everything on the pitch. That is what I’m doing in training. In the dressing room we still believe we can be champions but it won’t be easy.
“You don’t adapt to a new club, a new country and different style of football in a couple of days.
“I think this has happened to a lot of players, not just me – even at Chelsea. I ask for some patience from people. At Chelsea, the coach is the boss and I can even understand if I am not in the side if things are not going well for me.
“But every chance I get I want to make the most of – I’ll be playing like it’s the European Cup Final.”
