Have your say: Stop asking about injured Shevchenko, says angry Blokhin

Blokhin conceded that 35-year-old Shevchenko has only a 50-50 chance of being available against Roy Hodgson’s side because of a knee problem.

But he became increasingly irritated at a barrage of enquiries about the former Chelsea player and eventually called for a halt to that line of questioning.

Blokhin initially said: “After the game against France, Shevchenko had an injured knee and we are doing everything possible to prepare him for the game.

“Our team doesn’t have many stars like France, Italy or Spain. Shevchenko’s role is very big, especially in the attacking line. There’s no other striker who’s so good in Ukraine.

“I think if he’s not able to play (tonight) it will be a big loss for us.

“I said already that the chances are 50-50. I can’t only think about Shevchenko as I have other options. The decision will be made before dinner (today).”

Blokhin started to lose his cool after being asked why Shevchenko had failed to make a big impact at Chelsea and then whether the striker should retire after Euro 2012.

He said: “Let’s call Shevchenko and ask Shevchenko. I don’t have only Shevchenko in my team. I don’t look good in front of my players if I talk only about Sheva, his career and his private life.

“I have 22 other players. Stop asking about Shevchenko. The subject is closed. It’s 50-50. I will make a decision (today).”

Blokhin tried to take the pressure off his team by insisting England will be favourites to triumph this evening.

He said: “We should consider England as leaders in the European Championship. They also have problems because if they lose (tonight) it will be unexpected.

“There will be big problems for them, but it’s not the same for us. The England team will be more nervous. We have nothing to lose.

“They are one of the favourites and are expected to play in the final. Nobody expects that we will fly to the moon.

“It would be fantastic, but that’s another thing. The fans should expect good play, but we shouldn’t say to our nation ‘we’ll win the Euros’. They shouldn’t shoot at us if we lose.”

Blokhin also has no sympathy for England coach Roy Hodgson who has to decide whether to axe Andy Carroll or Danny Welbeck to make way for the available Wayne Rooney.

He said: “If I had such a headache like Hodgson it would be very nice for me. Who do I put in, Rooney, Welbeck or Carroll? Every coach would be glad to have such a headache.

“We shouldn’t think just about Wayne Rooney. He’s one of the best strikers in the world, but we should think about the whole team.

“Rooney cannot win the game on his own. England are a good team.

“Everyone says they are tired, but I don’t see that. They have a style of play and plan everything they do.

“We should show our way of playing. It’s about speed and fighting. What the players showed in the first game was right. We didn’t show this against France. We lacked emotion in our game.”

The other Group D game sees France meet Sweden with the former’s coach Laurent Blanc insisting he is not taking their opponents lightly as he looks to secure a place in the knockout stages.

Les Bleus need just a draw to ensure their quarter-final spot and face a Sweden side who are guaranteed to finish bottom of the group and have not beaten France since 1969.

France followed up a 1-1 draw against England with an impressive 2-0 win over co-hosts Ukraine to top the group and Blanc has called for focus heading into today’s game in Kyiv.

“There is always fear you might take your eye off the ball so it is up to us to be very serious in the way we prepare for the game,” he said. “We need to be aware of what we need to achieve.

“We are playing against a side who have not qualified but they will still go out to win the game. We mustn’t underestimate Sweden.”