London - Musim 2018/2019 akan jadi yang terakhir dalam karier Petr Cech . Kiper Arsenal itu akan gantung sepatu ketika musim berakhir. Keputusan pensiun ini diumumkan Cech via akun Instagram dan Twitter-nya, Selasa (15/1/2019) sore ini. Cech menyebut musim panas nanti adalah saat yang tepat untuk melakukan itu setelah dua dekade berkarier. "Ini akan jadi musim ke-20 saya sebagai pemain profesional dan sejak saya meneken kontrak 20 tahun lalu, jadi ini rasanya jadi saat yang tepat mengumumkan bahwa saya akan pensiun akhir musim ini," ujar Cech.
[Gambas:Twitter] Cech memulai kariernya tahun 1999 bersama Chmel Blsany di Liga Republik Ceko sebelum digaet klub raksasa sana, Sparta Praha pada 2001. Cuma main semusim, Cech kemudian merintis karier bersama Rennes. Chelsea yang kepincut mendatangkannya pada Januari 2004 dengan banderol 7 juta pound sterling dan baru bergabung di musim panas. Setelah berseragam biru-biru, Cech menahbiskan diri sebagai kiper terbaik di eranya. Cech bermain 11 tahun di Chelsea dengan torehan empat gelar Premier League, empat gelar Piala FA, tiga gelar Piala Liga Inggris, satu gelar Liga Champions dan Liga Europa. Saat memperkuat Chelsea, pria yang mengoleksi 494 penampilan bersama klub tersebut mendapat cedera retak tulang tengkorak Oktober 2006 dan membuatnya harus menggunakan helm di sisa kariernya. Setelah tempatnya diambil Thibaut Courtois pada musim 2014/2015, Cech lantas pindah ke Arsenal di akhir musim itu dan bermain hingga saat ini dengan torehan satu gelar Piala FA dan dua Community Shield. "Selama 15 tahun bermain di Premier League dan memenangi setiap trofi yang ada, saya merasa sudah mencapai seluruh target saya," sambungnya. "Saya akan terus bekerja keras di Arsenal untuk membantu mereka meraih satu trofi lagi musim ini, lalu saya akan menantikan kehidupan selanjutnya setelah pensiun," demikian pengoleksi 124 caps bersama Ceko tersebut. Cech musim ini baru tampil 12 kali karena harus jadi nomor dua di bawah kiper utama Arsenal, Bernd Leno, yang baru didatangkan musim panas lalu. Kebetulan kontrak Cech akan habis musim ini.
Media playback is not supported on this device Petr Cech: Retiring goalkeeper's incredible save for Chelsea in FA Cup Final v Liverpool
Arsenal keeper Petr Cech will retire at the end of the season.
The 36-year-old joined Arsenal in June 2015 from the London rivals Chelsea, where he spent 11 years.
"Having played 15 years in the Premier League and won every single trophy possible, I feel like I have achieved everything I set out to achieve," said the ex-Czech Republic international.
"I will continue to work hard at Arsenal to hopefully win one more trophy this season."
Cech's career was in doubt in October 2006 when he required surgery for a skull fracture after a collision with Reading's Stephen Hunt.
The keeper was out for three months and has since worn a protective headguard during games.
He added: "This is my 20th season as a professional player and it has been 20 years since I signed my first professional contract, so it feels like the right time to announce that I will retire.
"I am looking forward to seeing what life holds for me off the pitch."
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'A champion on and off the pitch'
Cech arrived in England when he was signed by Chelsea from French club Rennes in July 2004.
He went on to win 13 trophies with the Stamford Bridge club, including one Champions League and four Premier League titles.
He also set a club record of 228 clean sheets in all competitions, beating the previous mark of 208 set by former England international Peter Bonetti between 1960 and 1979.
Cech eventually lost his place to Belgian Thibaut Courtois before joining Arsenal and helping the Gunners win the FA Cup in 2017.
"For your consummate professionalism, for being the perfect role model, for the 50 clean sheets, for your honesty, your integrity and for your inspiring work with the Arsenal Foundation, we want to say - thank you Petr Cech," tweeted Arsenal.
In a statement on their website, the club added: "Petr recently informed us of his decision. Like all football fans, we are sad about this, but completely understand and support Petr."
"A champion on and off the pitch," said a message from Chelsea. "Enjoy your retirement."
Petr Cech's Premier League career Chelsea Arsenal Appearances 333 110 Minutes played 29,713 9,783 Goals conceded 241 125 Minutes per goal conceded 123 78 Clean sheets 162 40 Clean sheet % 48.6% 36.4% Saves 800 336 Saves to shots % 76.7% 72.4%
Cech started this season as Arsenal first choice keeper but has since lost his place to Bernd Leno.
The Czech has made 12 appearances for the Gunners this season, with his most recent coming when he started in the FA Cup third round win at Blackpool.
Cech has also played in Europa League and League Cup games, but has not played in the league since going off injured in the win over Watford on 29 September.
Arsenal, who are fifth in the Premier League, host fourth-placed Chelsea in the top flight on Saturday.
Cech's main chances of adding to his trophy haul appear to be in the FA Cup and Europa League.
The Gunners play Manchester United in the next round of the FA Cup, with the competition's final on 19 May - the day before Cech turns 37.
Arsenal play BATE Borisov in the next round of the Europa League, with the final of that competition on 29 May.
Analysis
BBC Sport's chief football writer Phil McNulty
Petr Cech's retirement will see the curtain come down on the career of one of the most significant and successful figures of the Premier League era.
The Czech goalkeeper was part of the spine of Chelsea's golden years under the likes of Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti and then most spectacularly of all when, with interim manager Roberto di Matteo in charge, he was the hero of the Champions League final win against Bayern Munich on penalties in their own AllianzArena in 2012.
Cech won every major trophy at Chelsea, 13 in all, and also showed the courage to return from a serious head injury sustained in a collision with Reading's Stephen Hunt in October 2006 that has seen him wear his trademark skullcap for the remainder of his career in a position where bravery is a pre-requisite.
He is a keeper and character who exudes calm authority, a figure of reliability and stability in an era, especially at Chelsea, when change on and off the field was often frequent.
Cech moved to Arsenal from Chelsea in summer 2015 with owner Roman Abramovich's personal blessing after his years of outstanding service.
The 36-year-old has also emerged as a distinguished figure off the field, with his class and dignity making him a hugely respected individual by everyone inside the game.
Cudicini played with fellow keeper Cech at Chelsea
Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech on January 15 announced his retirement at the end of the Premier League season after 20 years as a professional and winning everything in club soccer.
One of the world's great keepers, the 36-year-old joined the Gunners from London rivals Chelsea in 2015 and holds several Premier League records, including the highest number of clean sheets (202 in 443 appearances).
"It has been 20 years since I signed my first professional contract, so it feels like the right time to announce that I will retire at the end of this season," the Czech said on Twitter.
"Having played 15 years in the Premier League, and won every single trophy possible, I feel like I have achieved everything I set out to achieve," he added.
"I will continue to work hard at Arsenal to hopefully win one more trophy this season, then I am looking forward to seeing what life holds for me off the pitch."
Cech started the season as Arsenal manager Unai Emery's first choice but lost out to new signing Bernd Leno after he suffered a hamstring injury in September.
The four-times Premier League Golden Glove winner has been restricted to Cup appearances since his return.
Cech joined Chelsea from French side Rennes in July 2004 and helped them win four Premier League titles, four FA Cups, three League Cups, the UEFA Champions League and Europa League.
He also suffered a fractured skull while playing against Reading in 2006, leading to the tall Czech wearing protective headgear.
With Arsenal, Cech has won another FA Cup and two Community Shields.
Cech kept a total of 228 clean sheets with Chelsea in all competitions, before he fell behind Thibaut Courtois in the pecking order.
He still holds the Premier League record for most clean sheets in a season (24) and went 1,024 minutes without conceding in 2004-05, a benchmark that has since been surpassed. He was capped 124 times by his country.
Arsenal remain in contention for the FA Cup, although they host in-form Manchester United in the fourth round on January 25, and the Europa League.
The North Londoners are fifth in the Premier League, ahead of United on goal difference but 16 points adrift of leaders Liverpool.
"For your consummate professionalism, for being the perfect role model, for the 50 clean sheets, for your honesty, your integrity and for your inspiring work with @AFC_Foundation, we want to say... thank you @PetrCech," Arsenal said on Twitter.
CECH-OUT
Unlike say, a certain couple of Fulham players, it is difficult to imagine Petr Cech ever clashing with a teammate during a yoga class. While it is easy to imagine the Arsenal keeper trying somebody’s nerves by complimenting them excessively on their Downward Facing Dog, repeatedly offering them drinks from his water bottle or accidentally treading on their velvet slings, the prospect of actually coming to blows with one of football’s nicest men in any environment seems so implausible as to be utterly beyond the realms of possibility. Google “Petr Cech” and “controversy” and one of very few occasions in which the 36-year-old appears to have lost his cool in a senior career spanning almost 20 years was when he cut loose at the end of a game and gave referee Mike Dean both barrels. Which doesn’t really count because it was referee Mike Dean, a fabled attention-seeker who probably deserved both barrels.
Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech to retire at the end of the season Read more
On Tuesday, while everyone else was taking to Social Media Disgrace Twitter to rage about Donald Trump’s mass order of “hamberders”, the meaningless meaningful Brexit vote and “lazy juorno bais”, Cech posted a tweet announcing his imminent retirement. “This is my 20th season as a professional player and it has been 20 years since I signed my first professional contract, so it feels like the right time to announce that I will retire at the end of this season,” said the player who won 14 major trophies, kept a record 202 Premier League clean sheets and is a four-times Premier League Golden Glove winner. “Having played 15 years in the Premier League and won every single trophy possible, I feel like I have achieved everything I set out to achieve.”
And then, the obligatory gag, because he’s also a funny guy. “I will continue to work hard at Arsenal to hopefully win one more trophy this season,” he honked, before announcing he was looking forward to seeing what life holds for him off the pitch. Immediate canonisation and a place in heaven, it seems, so overwhelmingly positive and gushing were the responses to Cech’s big news.
A man who would apparently spend his every waking hour helping old ladies across the street whether they wanted to get to the other side or not, it seems Cech never knowingly refused a request for an autograph, selfie or interview when he was not busy keeping the ball from passing him while in goal for Chelsea or Arsenal. In fact, such was his patience he once let legendary Big Paper snapper Tom Jenkins convince him to pose for a photograph on a giant chessboard. For that alone, all at Fiver Towers will miss you … Cech, mate.
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8 October 2013: “For anyone who contacts our manager Alan Dowson – please text him your phone numbers as his phone broke and he’s lost his address book” – Kingstonian FC send out a tweet to help their manager trace his many lost contacts.
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