Nationality: Czech
Date of Birth: May 20, 1982
Place Of Birth: Plzen Czech Republic
Playing Position: Goalkeeper
Current Club: Chelsea (English Premiership)
Club Career: 1999–2001 Blsany
2001–2002 AC Sparta Praha
2002–2004 Rennes
2004–present Chelsea
International Career: 2002–present - Czech Republic
Chelsea (2004–present)
It was Claudio Ranieri, then manager of Chelsea, who decided that the young Czech goalkeeper was his choice as understudy to Carlo Cudicini (though that was not exactly the way things turned out). In January 2004, he agreed a summer move to Chelsea for £7m (€10.3m), signing a five-year contract, to commence in July 2004. Čech’s transfer from Rennes was one of those about which the Stevens inquiry report in June 2007 expressed concerns because of the lack of co-operation from agents Pinhas Zahavi and Barry Silkman.
When he arrived at Chelsea, there was uncertainty over whether he would be the first choice goalkeeper as Chelsea already had Carlo Cudicini, who many considered to be one of the best goalkeepers in the English League. Complicating matters further was the fact that Ranieri, the manager who signed Cech, had been sacked. Incoming manager Jose Mourinho made the more experienced Cudicini his initial first choice goalkeeper. However, Cudicini made several clangers in pre-season friendlies, and when handed his opportunity, Cech, in contrast, impressed and gave his new team-mates confidence with his positioning and safe handling. Accordingly, Mourinho installed Čech as Chelsea’s first choice goalkeeper once the season started. Cech kept a clean sheet in his first competitive match as a Chelsea player, in a high-profile 1–0 victory against Manchester United, and did not look back since.
On 5 March 2005 Čech set a new Premiership record of 1025 minutes without letting in a goal. He finally conceded a goal from Leon McKenzie of Norwich City. He had kept a clean sheet in the league since 12 December 2004 when Thierry Henry scored for Arsenal. Čech was given a special award by the Premier League for the new record, and he was also awarded the Golden Gloves at the end of the 2004–05 season for keeping a record 21 clean sheets. Chelsea retained the Premiership title in 2005–06, with Čech playing in all but two games in the League.
He signed a new contract on 1 February 2006 which will keep him at the club until 2010.
Čech underwent minor shoulder surgery on 27 June 2006 to repair a long-standing injury stemming from the previous English Premiership season.Čech returned to action on 27 August 2006 during Chelsea’s Premier League match versus Blackburn, keeping a clean sheet.
Information From http://www.wikipedia.org
Statistics
|
Club |
Season |
Apps. |
Goals |
Yellow |
Red |
Clean |
|
Chelsea |
2006–2007 |
20 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
13 |
|
Chelsea |
2005–2006 |
34 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
17 |
|
Chelsea |
2004–2005 |
37 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
21 |
|
Rennes |
2003–2004 |
33 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
12 |
|
Rennes |
2002–2003 |
37 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
12 |
|
Sparta Prague |
2001–2002 |
27 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
17 |
|
Blsany |
2000–2001 |
26 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
|
Blasny |
1999–2000 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
League games only.
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Awards |
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Information From http://www.wikipedia.org
