Chelsea goalkeeping coach Christophe Lollichon has admitted that he has found it difficult to see Petr Cech lose his status as the club's first-choice stopper to Thibaut Courtois.
Lollichon has formed a close bond with Cech, having been his goalkeeping coach at Rennes between 2002 and 2004 and Chelsea since 2007.
Cech has admitted that he could leave Stamford Bridge during the summer in search of regular football, and Lollichon says that he has sympathy for the goalkeeper's current situation.
"I have a relationship with Petr, who is a special person. We've been working together [at Chelsea] for eight years. Our relationship goes beyond just the sporting side," the Frenchman told the London Evening Standard.
"There is always that moment when a young goalkeeper arrives. The decision to make Thibaut number one is the manager's. Then, if it's a question of rotation, we might discuss it. But above all, it's the manager's call.
"Petr is doing well, even though his current situation is not that easy. We're talking about someone remarkable, with values, who is not going to hide away because he's lost his number one spot. He keeps working as if he is going to play every weekend."
Cech has been linked with Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid.
Steven Toplis
