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Petr Cech Biography
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Petr Čech born 20 May 1982 in Plzeň, Czechoslovakia) is a Czech international footballer who is currently a goalkeeper for Chelsea F.C.
Čech has previously played for Viktoria Plzeň, Chmel Blšany, Sparta Prague, and Rennes, and is considered to be one of the best goalkeepers in the world. He was voted into the all-star team at Euro 2004 after helping his country reach the semi-finals, best Goalkeeper in the 2004-05 UEFA Champions League, and was in the FIFPro and Champions League 2005-06 team of the season.
He currently holds three records: a national record of not conceding a goal in 855 competitive minutes and an English Premiership record of not conceding a goal in 1,025 minutes and 25 clean sheets in Chelsea's 2004-05 title-winning campaign. He had also gone 928 minutes unbeaten at Sparta Prague.
FC Viktoria Plzeň (1989-99)
Čech started out as a midfielder for the youth team, occasionally taking the goalkeeping position in games. When he broke his leg at age 10, he opted to become the team's goalkeeper instead.
FK Chmel Blsany (1999-2001)
Čech made his senior-level debut as a 17-year-old for FK Chmel Blšany in 1999.
AC Sparta Praha (2001-02)
Čech really came of age in the 2001/02 campaign following a €700,000 transfer to AC Sparta Praha. The young custodian won a first-team place four matches into the Czech season, and proceeded to set a national record by going 855 minutes without conceding a goal. Just for good measure, he began Sparta's UEFA Champions League campaign by shutting out holders FC Bayern München and was not beaten until Matchday 5.
Rennes (2002-04)
After just one season at the Letná, Čech joined Stade Rennais FC in July 2002 for a reported fee of €5m. Not one of France’s glamour clubs, the Czech was virtually ever-present as Rennes preserved their Ligue 1 status and reached the Coupe de France semi-finals in 2003. He played all but five of Rennes' games as they finished ninth in the team's 2003-04 Ligue 1 season.
Chelsea (2004-present)
In January 2004, he agreed a summer move to Chelsea for £7m (€10.3m), signing a five-year contract.
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. Cudicini made several mistakes in the 2004 preseason, allowing Čech to become Chelsea's first choice goalkeeper once the season started.
On 5 March 2005 Čech set a new Premiership record of 1025 minutes without letting in a goal. He was finally beaten by 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 . Following his injury against Reading in October, Cech made his comeback in January 2007 against Liverpool. Chelsea lost 2-0, but in Cech's five games since, he has yet to concede.
Head injury
On 14 October 2006, Čech and Reading's Stephen Hunt challenged for the ball in the first minute of a league game at the Madejski Stadium, resulting in Čech's head colliding with Hunt's knee and leaving the former concussed. After immediate replacement by Carlo Cudicini (who was also left unconscious during the game after a challenge with Sonko), Čech was taken to Royal Berkshire Hospital's Accident and Emergency unit, and that evening taken to Oxford's Radcliffe Infirmary's specialist neuro-surgical unit. Čech then underwent surgery for a depressed fracture of the skull. The injury nearly cost Čech his life. As a result of Hunt's challenge, Čech has suffered intense headaches. He has been warned by his doctor that returning too early could be fatal. According to his father, he could be out of football for a year.
On 19 October 2006, Čech was transferred from the Radcliffe Infirmary in Oxford to a hospital close to his home in London .
Chelsea boss José Mourinho said "the challenge [was] a disgrace. He is lucky to still be alive", later also criticising the South Central Ambulance Service NHS Trust and the match referee, Mike Riley. Chelsea said in a later statement: "Chelsea FC has reviewed the video of both incidents. We endorse the post-match comments of José Mourinho regarding the seriousness of these incidents. Chelsea will be writing to the Football Association with our observations."
Reading manager Steve Coppell said "I know 100% for sure there's no intent", while football pundits Alan Hansen and Bob Wilson, and media commentators Martin Samuel, Clive Tyldesley and Des Kelly have all given their backing to Hunt. However, Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann, manager Arsène Wenger, former West Ham United goalkeeper (and current goalkeeping coach) Luděk Mikloško, Daily Mirror columnist Oliver Holt, football journalist and pundit Gabriele Marcotti (who said there was no malice from Hunt but the challenge was "reckless and dangerous") and Čech's Chelsea team mates Didier Drogba and Carlo Cudicini have all condemned the challenge.
Following hospital treatment, Čech returned home on 24 October 2006, where he continued his rehabilitation, and in the following week he came back to a period of light training. In a note, Chelsea informed that the goalkeeper will be out for three months, a standard medical timescale for the complete recovery of skull fractures.
On 27 October 2006, Čech was interviewed on Chelsea TV said that he could not remember the injury itself and that he was grateful for all the support he had received over this period.
Cech then played wearing a rugby style headguard against Liverpool on 20 January 2007 in a 2-0 loss, then again in the 3-0 victory over Blackburn Rovers.
source: wikipedia.org
GNU Free Documentation License
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