Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech says he is excited about former Invincible Jens Lehmann being at the club in a coaching role this season.
Lehmann returned to the club this summer to join Arsene Wenger’s coaching team and it seems it’s not just the fans that were happy. Petr Cech, who had many encounters against Lehmann while he was still at Chelsea, has expressed his own excitement at the German returning to the club as a coach.
“It is kind of exciting for me,” Cech told Arsenal Player. “I used to play against him, now obviously he will be on my side. “He’s with the team and sometimes with the goalkeepers as well, so that’s good and you can have the exchange of experience and the way you do things.
“I believe that with his experience and his career, he has a lot to offer. We had met a few times out of the pitch but mainly we knew each other by facing each other. It’s a completely different thing when you speak to someone as a respected opponent or when you speak to someone on your side, as a coach who tries to improve you and helps you as well.”
Cech arrived in England in 2004, just after Lehmann helped Arsenal achieve an unbeaten season. The two involved in many of the heated Arsenal-Chelsea encounters before Lehmann lost his place to Manuel Almunia. Initially, people expected Lehmann to work the goalkeepers at Arsenal, until it was revealed that he’d have a more general coaching role.
However, it’s encouraging to hear that he has been doing some work with the keepers at the club. There have been plenty of doubts about Gerry Peyton’s ability as a coach and the progression of goalkeepers at the club over the years. Having a player who achieved success under the current manager should be a good match.
Wenger has lavished Lehmann in praise this summer too and believes his determination will rub off on the rest of the Arsenal squad.