Shevchenko Turns Down Ukraine Job

MOSCOW, November 19 (R-Sport) - Legendary striker Andriy Shevchenko turned down an offer to coach the Ukrainian national team Monday.
Shevchenko was offered the post last week with Ukraine’s top football official comparing his coaching potential to that of Pep Guardiola, who won 14 trophies in four years as Barcelona boss.
“I think that, at the moment, the opportunity to lead the Ukrainian national team is something of a hasty step for me,” Shevchenko said on the Ukrainian Football Federation website.
“I hope that the management of the UFF treats my decision with understanding.”
Shevchenko, who retired after captaining Ukraine at Euro 2012, their first home tournament, could take on an advisory role, he and FA president Anatoly Konkov said.
"We react understandingly to the fact that Andrei isn't yet ready to become the head coach of the national team, but the federation isn't ruling out other options for cooperation with Shevchenko," Konkov said on the FA website.
He added there would be a meeting of the FA board Tuesday to discuss the next step in the hunt for a successor to Oleg Blokhin, who announced his departure for club side Dynamo Kiev in September.
Blokhin was a renowned striker for the Soviet national side and coached Ukraine at Euro 2012, where he showed a strong bond with his star striker Shevchenko.
With a Champions League and a Serie A title to his name, as well as five Ukrainian titles with Dynamo, 36-year-old Shevchenko was one of the world's best players at his peak and is the all-time top scorer for Ukraine with 48 goals in 111 appearances.
Ukraine have not won any of their first three World Cup 2014 qualifiers and are fifth in their group.