Petr Chech…Most of the Chelsea Fan will know who exactly the man behind the name, including me . I am a Chelsea supporter . Of course Petr Chech is one of my favourite player and on of the most important player in Chelsea team . As a good goal keeper yang telah menyelamatkan banyak gol , ade kisah tersendiri yang korang tak tahu . Pernah tak korang tertanya kenapa dia player football yang sesat pakai scrum cap rugby tu?? Haaa..ni jawapan and citer dia sebenar…enjoice….=)
Head injury
On 14 October 2006, Čech and Reading midfielder Stephen Hunt both challenged for the ball inside Chelsea's penalty area within the first minute of a league match at the Madejski Stadium. Hunt's right knee hit Čech's head, leaving the keeper requiring treatment. Čech was taken off after several minutes and replaced by Carlo Cudicini, who himself was knocked unconscious later in the same game. Captain John Terry ended up going in goal for the remaining minutes. Čech underwent surgery for a depressed skull fracture. Initially unaware of the seriousness of the injury, the doctors later reported that it nearly cost Čech his life, and as a result of the collision, he suffered intense headaches and was warned by his doctor that returning too early could be fatal. Speaking shortly afterwards, Čech’s father claimed his son would be out of football for a year.
Chelsea manager José Mourinho blamed Hunt for Čech's injury, saying:
"The challenge was a disgrace. He is lucky to still be alive.
He also criticised the South Central Ambulance Service NHS Trustand match referee Mike Riley. Much media comment followed, some agreeing with, some condemning Mourinho's claims. A number of commentators, including current and former goalkeepers, saw the incident as highlighting the need for greater protection for keepers.
Following hospital treatment, Čech returned home on 24 October 2006 and in the following week he came back to a period of light training. However, Chelsea announced that the goalkeeper would be out for three months, in line with medical advice on the time needed for complete recovery from the skull fracture. In an interview on Chelsea TV, Čech said that he had no memory of the injury itself.
Return
Čech made his comeback in a Premier League match against Liverpool on 20 January 2007, which Chelsea eventually lost 2–0, wearing a rugby style headguard. The headguard was made byCanterbury of New Zealand, a company that specializes in protective rugby gear, and includes extra plastic polymer foam protection to cover the areas of his skull weakened by the collision. Čech’s use of the scrum cap caused initial friction with Czech national team sponsors Puma objected to the presence of the Canterbury logo, as well as Chelsea’s apparel manufacturer Adidas, which were not pleased by a Chelsea player apparently advertising for another company. A solution was reached when Adidas developed their own headgear for Čech to wear in club matches, while the player went on to wear an unbranded cap for national team games.
Since the injury, Čech has continued to wear the scrum cap owing to the weaker than normal bone structure in his skull.
Although Chelsea lost Čech's comeback match 2–0, he then went approximately 810 minutes of Premier League play without conceding a goal. On 11 April 2007, Čech was awarded the FA Premier League Player of the Month award for the first time in his career in recognition of the eight successive league clean sheets he had kept. He also was the first goalkeeper to receive the award since Tim Flowers in 2000. This run was ended during a 4–1 Chelsea victory over West Ham United on 18 April 2007 when Carlos Tévez scored against him.
Čech also kept a clean sheet for Chelsea in the 2007 FA Cup Final against Manchester United. He shared with United’s Edwin van der Sar the honour of being the first goalkeepers to keep a clean sheet over 90 minutes in a competitive fixture, but became the first goalkeeper to end a competitive game unbeaten, at the new Wembley Stadium, as Chelsea beat United 1–0 to win the FA Cup.