With 783 career matches including 124 with the Czech A team, Petr Čech is a monument in his country, but also as a goalkeeper. Spending most of his career at Chelsea between 2004 and 2015, he won the Champions League (2012), the Europa League (2013), the Premier League (2005, 2006, 2010 and 2015) and the FA Cup (2007). , 2009, 2010 and 2012) as well as the English League Cup (2005, 2007 and 2015). Previously revealed in Rennes where he left nice memories in France, the goalkeeper who has not taken off his helmet since 2007 – and a heavy skull fracture a few months earlier – ended his career in 2019 after a good 4-year stint at Arsenal. Unfortunately for him, his last match was the 2019 Europa League final lost by the Gunners… against Chelsea (4-1).
An express reconversion
A full and brilliant career for the native of Plzeň whose performances are unanimously recognized as those of one of the very best goalkeepers in the history of football. After his career, he had a management role at Chelsea between 2019 and 2022, but he left this position following the arrival of Todd Boehly at the head of the London club. But football is not the only passion of Petr Čech who, as an accomplished sportsman, now devotes himself to ice hockey. Indeed, in October 2019, just a few weeks after the end of his professional football career, he signed with the Guildford Phoenix club in the fourth English ice hockey division. “We are very excited about Petr joining this Phoenix team and can’t wait to see him in action this weekend. He’s improved a lot since I first saw him on the ice and I can’t wait to see him play.” enthused his coach Milos Melicherik at the time.
The main person concerned was eager to embark on this new adventure: “I’m excited to have the opportunity to play with Phoenix to gain match experience. I hope I can help this young team achieve their goals for the season and try to win as many games as possible when I get the chance to play. After 20 years of professional football, it will be a wonderful experience for me to play the sport that I loved watching and playing as a child. Wanting to have fun above all on the ice hockey fields, Petr Čech quickly showed that he remained an outstanding competitor.
Man of the match with 62 saves
Man of the match after his first championship match, he played six matches during his first season, but initially refused to extend his contract. The reason ? Chelsea had included him in their list of goalkeepers in the Premier League during the 2020/2021 season. Finally, he got back on his skates the following season for a second adventure with the Guildford Phoenix. He will make 14 matches there this time and score a hat-trick. The following season he signed for the upper tier with Chelmsford Chieftains in the Third Division.
“Having a goalkeeper of Petr’s quality and experience joining our team is a huge boost for us at the moment. He brings a winning mentality, a desire to compete every time he’s on the ice, and we can’t wait to see him added to our group this season.” declared his coach Mark Saunders. A new season which will go perfectly for Petr Čech who continues to play in this League, but who changed clubs again this summer. The goalkeeper who celebrated his 41st birthday last May joined the Oxford City Stars club. “I’m really excited for a new chapter with Oxford City Stars. I’ve heard good things about the club and I’m looking forward to playing again with some of my old teammates.”
“It’s clear that Oxford has big ambitions and I hope I can help them achieve them” declared the former Rennais upon his arrival. The least we can say is that he succeeds brilliantly. Although his team is in difficulty in last place in the championship after 5 matches played, Petr Čech was essential during the last day of the championship against the second place, the Streatham Redhawks. His team won 3-2 and Petr Čech was voted man of the match with 62 saves from 64 shots taken. An XXL performance for the Czech goalkeeper. For example, in the NHL regular season (North American first division, the best championship in the world, editor’s note), the modern era record goes to Ron Tugnutt who made 70 saves in 1991. In football or hockey goals , Petr Čech remains a boss.
