Sam Allardyce is of the opinion that Chelsea handled Andriy Shevchenko wrongly, giving the Ukrainian too little time to settle in the Premier League.

Allardyce believes that new Blackburn right-back Michel Salgado also needs time to adjust to the physical rigours of English top flight football.

"I give you the perfect example," he told The Lancashire Telegraph.

"This [Shevchenko] wasn't a young man, this was an old, experienced player.

"Because Chelsea put him in too quickly, and because he wasn't ready, he became a complete flop - and that was Andriy Shevchenko.

"That was £30 million and however much grand a week. They continued to play him because he cost that much when he was never ready to play in the Premier League.

"It was far too quick for him, far too physical and the lad's confidence just drained away. He never, ever got to it.

"It is the same with Michel Salgado - he found it tough [against] Everton.

"Now he knows what it is all about and you have to build them in slowly, no matter how young, old, or experienced you are."

The 33-year-old veteran was given a free transfer by Real Madrid during the preseason, and signed for Rovers after performing well in a trial.