We Ain't Got No History - Chelsea FC Transfer Rumors: Petr Cech Champions of Europe!https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52884/21_SBN_002_We_Aint_Got_No_History_Favicon_32x32..png2015-07-01T17:43:22+01:00http://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/rss/stream/80764102015-07-01T17:43:22+01:002015-07-01T17:43:22+01:00Mourinho, Cech, say all the right things
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<p>Much has been made about Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho's preference for keeping Petr Cech away from Arsenal, but after the move was made official, Mourinho had nothing but good things to say about the Chelsea legend, who spent the last eleven years helping the Blues win more matches than the Gunners. Here's what Jose <a target="_blank" href="https://www.chelseafc.com/news/latest-news/2015/07/mourinho-and-cech-discuss-big-decision.html">had to say </a>about the transfer:</p>
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<p>‘Petr has been a great servant for Chelsea for 11 years and helped this club to win almost everything there is to win. I always said I wanted him to stay but I understand Petr needed to move on to play first team football every week. Sometimes you have to respect the wishes of someone who has earned so much respect with his service and actions for your club. I support the owner’s decision to honor the player in this way.'</p>
<p>‘It is very rare in football to make a decision like this and for that reason I am proud of my club for making it. There are not many clubs in the world big enough to be able to make that decision. Petr’s success at this club will always to be remembered and we thank him for everything he did.’</p>
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<p>The boss sounds fine with the decision to let Cech leave for a rival, even if it was pretty clear he'd have preferred to see the player land elsewhere. Cech had some comments of his own on Mourinho, and his respect for the Portuguese manager:</p>
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<p>‘He had to make his decision at the start of last season, I had to make my decision at the start of this season but I will always keep the best regards for him because I believe that we had so much success and so much respect for each other.'</p>
<p>‘He is one of the best managers in the world. Now, we will be opponents but it will not change our relationship, I believe. I learned a lot from him and one of those things was that if you have to make a hard decision, you need to make sure that you do it if you believe it is the right choice.’</p>
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<p>I doubt many fans feel that joining Arsenal was the right choice for Petr, but it was his choice to make. Hopefully, he has an enjoyable time there, albeit one without much club success.</p>
https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2015/7/1/8878167/chelsea-fc-transfer-news-petr-cech-arsenal-jose-mourinho-commentsStephen Schmidt2015-06-29T18:29:49+01:002015-06-29T18:29:49+01:00Breaking down the finances of the Cech deal
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<p>Like it or not, professional club football is first and foremost a business, and that fact has never been more clear than in this modern era of record-breaking revenues, skyrocketing wages, and financial fair play. While it may seem callous to so quickly turn the page on Petr Cech's illustrious career between the posts at Chelsea, it only makes sense to move forward and focus on why Chelsea made this deal and how the club benefits from selling one of the best goalkeepers in the world to its cross-town rival.</p>
<p>It's important to note that this deal is a bit unique in that it doesn't seem to be strictly motivated by footballing or financial reasons. Cech himself explains how owner Roman Abramovich helped Cech fulfil his desire to stay in the Premier League and play regular first team football.</p>
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<p>"The limited playing time gave me the chance to refresh and rest mentally as well as make me realise just how much I enjoy playing football at the highest level, because I missed it badly every game day I was not involved. I have the same commitment to football, the same motivation and the same hunger for success as I had at the beginning of my career and I love the challenges brought by the top quality players you face while playing in the Premier League - simply the best and most challenging league in the world.</p>
<p>That's why I spoke to Mr. Abramovich about me staying in the Premier League and I'd like to thank him from the bottom of my heart for his support in this matter. It means so much to me because without him Chelsea Football Club would not be where it is now. He deserves huge credit for what he has done for the club and all of us."</p>
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<p>Based on Cech's statement, it seems like the club's decision-making deviated from the Granovskaia-Mourinho-Emenalo triumvirate that tends to conduct transfer business on behalf of the club. It also seems like the decision to sell Cech to Arsenal rather than PSG or another suitor on the contintent resulted from the strong relationship Abramovich and Cech had built over the years. Of course, Abramovich is free to do whatever he wants, as its his football club, but the deal seems to have been made, at least in part, because of personal relationships and loyalty (which again, is completely valid, but important to note).</p>
<p>That said, Chelsea looks to have done quite well on this deal from a business perspective.</p>
<p>Cech is one of the best goalkeepers in the world, but at Chelsea, he was a bit player last season due to the emergence of Thibaut Courtois. His number was called for seven Premier League matches (one of which was to replace an injured Courtois) the two Champions League matches against Maribor and the final group stage match against Sporting when Chelsea had already clinched the group, and he also got four of the six league cup matches and the two FA Cup matches.</p>
<p>He also had just one year remaining on his contract and turned 33 years old in May. I don't particularly think his age is a cause for concern, as he's younger than Edwin van de Sar when he joined Manchester United and Jens Lehmann when he joined Arsenal, but it's worth mentioning.</p>
<p>Despite Cech being relegated to the bench last season, having just one year left on his contract, and agreeing to help him stay in the Premier League (thus reducing the club's negotiating power with Arsenal over a transfer fee, as there was no competing offer from PSG or another potential suitor to legitimately use as leverage), <b>Chelsea still managed to secure the largest-ever transfer fee for a footballer over the age of 32 AND the sixth-largest fee for a goalkeeper </b>(as first noted by <a href="https://twitter.com/SimonGleave" target="_blank">Simon Gleave</a> at <a href="http://www.infostradasports.com" target="_blank">Infostrada Sports</a>).</p>
<p>Through that lens, Chelsea did quite well to get £10m for Cech. As the deal was finalised prior to the 2015/16 financial year (beginning on 1 July), <b>the entire £10m will be recorded as profit on the 2014/15 books. Additionally, Cech's £100k per week wages, at an annual cost of £5.2m, will be wiped off the 2015/16 books.</b></p>
<p>This amounts to £15.2m worth of additional spending power Chelsea has under financial fair play spread out over two years. Naturally, a portion of this will go towards procuring another backup goalkeeper, but the vast majority can be reinvested into squad to help sign players that fit into Jose Mourinho's first team plans.</p>
<p>As with Juan Mata, David Luiz, Romelu Lukaku and Andre Schurrle before him, if another club is offering a big transfer fee for one of Chelsea's bench players, it only makes sense to accept. Chelsea has proven time and time again that every single penny the club earns will go right back into improving the team, and with Chelsea's significant, but ultimately finite resources, shifting said resources from the bench onto the pitch will always be the best option in my eyes.</p>
<p>As far as the Arsenal wrinkle goes, of course, I won't be thrilled to see Cech in red, and no disrespect to a great footballer, and more importantly, a great person by all accounts, even though Arsenal is a better football club with him, Chelsea without Petr Cech is still quite a bit stronger than Arsenal with Petr Cech.</p>
<h4>Addendum: How the deal affects Arsenal's finances</h4>
<p>Make no mistake, this is a very good deal for Arsenal as well. Cech will reportedly earn the same £100k per week he was on at Chelsea, and the deal is either a three-year deal with an option year or a straight four-year deal. For simplicity, assuming Cech signed a straight four-year deal, he'll cost £7.7m per year on Arsenal's FFP books (£5.2m in wages plus £2.5m annually in player amortisation).</p>
<p>For perspective, Cech will be Arsenal's fourth most expensive player on their 2015/16 FFP books, behind Mesut Ozil (£16.3m), Alexis Sanchez (£13.8m), and Danny Welbeck (£9.2m). This is a fairly significant amount for a goalkeeper (almost 50% more than the £5.24m per year that Thibaut Courtois costs Chelsea), and while there have been concerns about how Cech will handle playing for a club that employs a high defensive line, he's a top keeper and Arsenal can definitely afford it.</p>
<p>As mentioned, and this could admittedly be a blue-tinted outlook, I think Arsenal needs more before they can start thinking about winning the league, but shoring up a position of need with one of the best available players is a great first step for them.</p>
https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2015/6/29/8834925/petr-cech-arsenal-chelsea-transfer-ffp-financesJake Cohen2015-06-29T18:02:00+01:002015-06-29T18:02:00+01:00Cech says goodbye
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<p>"I thought this would never happen," begins Petr Cech's goodbye note to <a href="https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Chelsea</a> fans. Most Chelsea fans, I'd guess, would begin their thoughts and comments in a similar fashion. "...I thought I'd hang my gloves and boots one day and finish my career [at Chelsea]. But life doesn't always turn out the way you think it will."'</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">My personal message to <a href="https://twitter.com/ChelseaFC">@ChelseaFC</a> fans <a href="http://t.co/NYPD34Vuag">pic.twitter.com/NYPD34Vuag</a></p>
— Petr Cech (@PetrCech) <a href="https://twitter.com/PetrCech/status/615527161475268609">June 29, 2015</a>
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<p>Farewell notes come in all shapes and sizes. Cech's note is very matter of fact, very professional, just like the man himself. He tells the story of the past season, one that we're all familiar with by now. The keys to the kingdom were handed over to <span>Thibaut Courtois</span>, but Petr Cech is far too good to just while away his days on the bench. As a thank you for his service, Chelsea (and Roman Abramovich, whom Cech thanks specifically) allowed the living legend to choose his next club, even if that's <a href="https://theshortfuse.sbnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Arsenal</a>.</p>
<p>Cech ends his note with a message for the fans. If there's ever any doubt that he understands the magnitude of his decision to move across London to one our biggest rivals, this should put those doubts to rest.</p>
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<p>"But most important of all - a huge thank you goes to all the Chelsea fans. I did everything for you and you gave me your love back. I'll never forget it. It will stay with me forever. We will meet again but this time I will be in the other goal - I hope you will remember our history and understand it is time for me to begin a new adventure."</p>
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<p>Farewell, Petr Cech, and thanks for everything.</p>
https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2015/6/29/8862055/cech-says-goodbye-to-fans-thanks-chelsea-for-an-incredible-11-yearsDavid Pasztor2015-06-29T16:15:00+01:002015-06-29T16:15:00+01:00Watch: Farewell, Petr Cech<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QcWmlCRL_AA" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe>
<div class="source source-img"><p><p>Today we say goodbye to one of the legends of Chelsea Football Club. Thanks for the memories, Petr.</p></p></div>
https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2015/6/29/8861563/watch-farewell-petr-cechRob Usry2015-06-27T23:30:52+01:002015-06-27T23:30:52+01:00Lollichon doesn't think Chelsea will let him leave
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<p>Just how deep is our jar of goodwill and charity? That is the question as Petr Cech's <strike>£11m</strike> £10.9m move across London gets finalized. Do we gift the Gunners yet another crucial piece? Cech is obviously pretty great by himself, but he's even better when paired with coach Christophe Lollichon. It's not quite clear whether the goalkeeping coach would favor a similar move, but he was the one to talk up <a href="https://theshortfuse.sbnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Arsenal</a> as a great destination for Cech, so presumably he himself would not be too averse either.</p>
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<p>"For now, it does not matter. No contact has been made. I do not know if this has been discussed between the two clubs, but I do not think <a href="https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Chelsea</a> will be favourable."</p>
<p style="text-align: right;">-Christophe Lollichon; source: L'Equipe via <a href="http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/arsenal-transfer-news-petr-cechs-move-suffers-setback-as-coach-christoph-lollichon-believes-blues-will-block-his-exit-10350013.html">Evening Standard</a></p>
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<p>The lack of contact, unless Lollichon's not telling the truth, is a bit surprising in light of Tony Roberts' transfer to Swansea from Arsenal. The departure of the Gunners' goalkeeping coach looked like a nailed-on precursor to not only Cech's move but Lollichon's as well. Even Courtois joined in with a suggestion on who we could bring in afterwards.</p>
<p>On the other hand, it would be pretty funny if we forced Arsenal to have to look elsewhere for a goalkeeping coach. Small victories!</p>
https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2015/6/27/8857555/lollichon-follow-cech-arsenal-chelseaDavid Pasztor2015-06-26T14:13:58+01:002015-06-26T14:13:58+01:00Cech undergoes Arsenal medical
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<p>By now, it's inevitable that Petr Cech is going to remain in London with Arsenal. On Friday, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/jun/26/petr-cech-arsenal-chelsea-transfer">The Guardian</a> (and many other outlets) are reporting that the Czech keeper is at the Arsenal facilities, having his medical ahead of an £11 million move.</p>
<p>Cech has had some nagging injuries over the past several years, but nothing that's kept him from playing for any extended period of time. I'd be hesitant to believe that these ailments would cause him any issues with the Gunners, however, as they once passed a player on a short-term loan who arrived <a href="http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/arsenal-knew-kim-kallstrom-broken-3106691" target="_blank">with a broken vertebrae</a>.</p>
<p>With personal terms agreed and the clubs having reportedly settled on a fee, the medical appears to be the last formality before the player puts pen to paper, though he'll have to wait until July 1 to be officially registered with Arsenal. Unfortunately, it's looking like a sad day to be a Chelsea fan.</p>
https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2015/6/26/8850857/chelsea-fc-arsenal-transfer-news-petr-cech-medicalStephen Schmidt2015-06-23T23:30:00+01:002015-06-23T23:30:00+01:00Report: Arsenal, Chelsea agree Petr Cech fee
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<p>No safety or surprise, the end; I'll never look into your eyes, again.</p> <p>Moving right along. And no PR company denials* this time! (So far.) So ... it's happening. As if we didn't already know that it's happening. I guess the long drawn out process is perhaps helping us cope with this move? Or, it's just adding a few more thousand cuts to what already was a death by a thousand cuts.</p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">BREAKING: Sky Sources: <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://theshortfuse.sbnation.com/">Arsenal</a> agree £10.9m fee with <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/">Chelsea</a> for Petr Cech. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SSNHQ?src=hash">#SSNHQ</a></p>
— Sky Sports News HQ (@SkySportsNewsHQ) <a href="https://twitter.com/SkySportsNewsHQ/status/613418103750414342">June 23, 2015</a>
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<p>I must say, the £10.9m is such an Arsenal fee. It's not £11. It's £10.9! We should've held out for £11.1!</p>
<p>Sky's <a href="http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11670/9893621/arsenal-agree-163109m-fee-for-chelseas-petr-cech-sky-sources-say">full report</a> maintains that there will be no player added in exchange and that Cech is eternally grateful to Chelsea and Roman Abramovich specifically for allowing him to choose the most annoying outcome possible in this situation. Neither of those claims should be surprising at this point.</p>
<p>Barring a miracle, all that's left now is the official confirmation from Chelsea or Arsenal.</p>
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<p><i>* Meanwhile, Cech's PR company is off doing Pilates. What a world!</i></p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Great Pilates session this morning with <a href="https://twitter.com/RuthTongueBites">@RuthTongueBites</a> Thank you</p>
— Sports PR Company (@SportsPRCompany) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsPRCompany/status/613326808692473856">June 23, 2015</a>
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https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2015/6/23/8836021/arsenal-chelsea-agree-petr-cech-fee-reportDavid Pasztor2015-06-23T08:42:00+01:002015-06-23T08:42:00+01:00Who is Petr Cech trolling this time?
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<p>I realize this happened several hours ago now, and it's probably not even really a story, but I can't quite figure out why Petr Cech's PR company is so darn insistent on correcting standard-fare reporting about Petr Cech's impending move to <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://theshortfuse.sbnation.com/">Arsenal</a>.</p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">. <a href="https://twitter.com/MailSport">@MailSport</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/LeeClayton_">@LeeClayton_</a> as we told you, No transfer deal has been done yet for <a href="https://twitter.com/PetrCech">@PetrCech</a> - as soon as any news <a href="https://twitter.com/PetrCech">@PetrCech</a> will confirm.</p>
— Sports PR Company (@SportsPRCompany) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsPRCompany/status/613031450343047168">June 22, 2015</a>
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<p>The Mail and their ilk "break" such stories all the time; we (should) have all been conditioned by now to know not to take them at face value until clubs officially confirm any transfer. (If you haven't yet, <a href="http://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/chelsea-fc-transfer-rumours-news/2015/6/22/8824463/petr-cech-arsenal">you should read WAGNH more often</a>!) Does Cech's PR company not know this? Surely they do, considering that they represent other big names like Drogba or Walcott or Begovic. Incidentally, the latter two have been tangentially involved in this transfer at one point or another as a player in exchange and a player in replacement, respectively. Hmmm... possibly interesting? Probably not.</p>
<p>What difference does it make that the PR company corrected the Mail's story? Is this somehow affecting the final stages of negotiations? Did the Mail breaking the story (after Sky already reported that personal terms have been agreed) make Cech lose out on some sort of contractual perk? Surely the lawyers and negotiators have better things to do than to read the tabloids for clues like they're the Men in Black. Is Cech possibly still trying to use PSG as leverage to get some sort of perk? Or is he just trolling us, them, and everyone else?</p>
<p>With the insistent denial (which Cech also retweeted), there's still a chance this all hilariously devolves into an 11th hour cancelation. Which would be glorious and legendary. Or Cech's just giving us false hope. Either way, somebody's getting trolled. Though I suppose when it comes to Cech and Twitter, that's not a new thing.</p>
https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2015/6/23/8829981/cech-arsenal-denialsDavid Pasztor