FORMER CHELSEA AND Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech has decided to come out of retirement – but he’s not returning to the football pitch.
Instead, Cech has signed with semi-professional club Guildford Phoenix, for whom he will make his debut on Friday.
“I am delighted to have the opportunity to play with the Phoenix to get match experience,” Cech said in a club press release.
“I hope I can help this young team to achieve their goals for the season and try to win as many games as possible when I have the chance to play.
“After 20 years of professional football this is going to be a wonderful experience for me to play the game I loved to watch and play as a kid.”
The 37-year-old took part in a training session with the Phoenix in August, posting a picture on Instagram of him playing goaltender.
Cech retired from football after last season, having played at Arsenal since 2015 after previously spending 11 seasons with Chelsea.
In June, Cech returned to Chelsea in a technical and performance advisor role, a position in which he offers advice on football and performance matters, while also seeking to build strong links between Chelsea’s first team and the academy set-up.
But Cech now has a new role with the Phoenix, whose head coach believes the veteran goalkeeper has been making big strides on the ice.
“We are very excited to have Petr join the Phoenix team and we are looking forward to seeing him in action this weekend,” club head coach Milos Melicherik said.
“He has improved a lot since I first saw him on the ice and I am excited to see him play.”
Cech was born in Plzen, Czechoslovakia, in what is now the Czech Republic. The former Chelsea star has spoken about his love for ice hockey growing up in the past.
“I always wanted to play ice hockey – that was always my first choice,: Cech told Arsenal TVHD three years ago.
“But obviously, at that time, you would have to buy all the equipment so if you imagine the financial aspect of buying all the equipment and you grow up fast as a kid so then you need to keep buying it and we just couldn’t afford it.”
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Had to double-Cech the headline there. Looks like he’s put his football career on ice.
@EK: he won’t fancy the body cechs in ice hockey I would assume.
@Joe Kennedy: you’d have been better off saying nothing Joe
Is that really the wisest move for a man who wore a scrum cap as a goalkeeper and has previously suffered a fractured skull??
@Simon Ryan: that’s what separates you and him Simon. He’s a professional competitor and you’re commenting on the journal.
@Robbie O’ Connor: There will he a coffin separating them if he gets a blow to the head
@Robbie O’ Connor: you should have said “and we’re commenting on the journal”
Ye, didn’t see that one coming….
Why hasn’t the reporter asked if he wears the scrum cap under his ice hockey helmet? These are the questions the public need answered!
@RabidHorizon: like if superman wears a second pair of underwear, but this time actually under his pants.
Least he’ll have a better defence in front of him compared to his last season at Arsenal
Not quite NHL standard but good to see some ice hockey on the 42!