Christophe Lollichon has been working as the goalkeeper coach at Ligue 2 side USL Dunkerque since the beginning of 2024, and in an interview with La Voix du Nord, he has now revealed how he tried, and failed, to lure former Chelsea goalkeeper to the club.
Lollichon worked with Cech at Stade Rennais and then at Chelsea. The former Czechia international made on to make nearly 500 appearances for Chelsea, whilst also featuring 139 times for cross-city rivals Arsenal. He then hung up his gloves in 2019, although since retirement, he has kept active by playing ice hockey.
However, his former coach then tried to tempt him out of retirement earlier this year in order to get him to play in Ligue 2 with strugglers Dunkerque. Lollichon detailed the exchange with the former Chelsea, Arsenal and Rennes No.1
“I tried something mad. I sent a message to Petr Cech and proposed that he came to Dunkerque because he is also mad,” began the former Chelsea goalkeeper coach.
He added, “I offered him a six-month stint so that we could experience something incredible. It would have created an incredible buzz but beyond that, it was the chance to work together again. He responded to me with a smiley (emoji) and then nothing else. It is rare. It meant that he was starting to think about it.”
Lollichon then revealed that Cech rang him the next day and said the following: “Christophe, with my tendons, I won’t be able to.” Ultimately, Dunkerque remained in Ligue 2 without the Czechian’s help.
GFFN | Luke Entwistle
