Shevchenko backs Conte to be successful at Chelsea

Rome, April 9 : Ukrainian football legend Andriy Shevchenko reckons Italy head coach Antonio Conte has a strong mentality and will do very well at Chelsea, the club he will join next season.

Earlier in the month, Chelsea announced that former Juventus coach Conte will join them in a bid to revive the fortunes of the London club that is currently witnessing one of the worst seasons in recent years.

“It’s a fine challenge, both for Chelsea and Conte. The coach has a strong mentality, he has created his own style and you can recognise his teams a mile away," Shevchenko was quoted as saying by football-italia.net on Saturday.

“I think Chelsea really liked his professional attitude. Anyone who changes country knows they have to be flexible, because things that go down well in Italy don’t necessarily work in England," the Milan legend, who also played for Chelsea, added.

“Conte seems to me well-prepared and intelligent. He has the right mentality to do well in the Premier League too.”

Shevchenko, who scored 48 goals in 111 international matches, is currently working as part of the Ukraine staff going to Euro 2016.

“I am currently an assistant manager and I’m studying the job. I am very curious and excited by this opportunity given to me by the Ukraine Federation. Experiencing a Euros on the bench will be fascinating and I’m learning so much," the 39-year-old said.

“What type of coach will I be? It’s too early to tell, as I haven’t really started yet. I was fortunate enough to work with great coaches, teammates and clubs. There is a lot of information that over the years we players store away and will be useful in future.”