Although, in my opinion, Courtois is marginally better than Cech at shot stopping, our way forward has to lie in Cech's hands. He has been an absolute legend for us and still plays at an incredibly high level. If he decides that it is time to potentially give Courtois a chance and take a back seat, then and only then, should it happen. I'm sure that he can see the merits and demerits of either outcome and seems to have the intelligence and love for the club to take a rational decision. We don't want to be a cutthroat business where only winning matters. Of course, if his levels drop dramatically, it is another story but that hasn't happened yet. I'm sure Jose will talk it out with him before coming to a decision.

I still think Courtois is marginally better and voted for him.

So Cech decides if Courtois plays for Chelsea? And here I thought the Fergie-Moyes situation was ridiculous.

As always, Jose will base his decision on merit. He believes and has said outright on many occasions that a person/manager/player should not be judged on past achievements. He is here to create the best possible team. We want to see the best possible Chelsea. Everything else takes a backseat to that objective.

Edited February 20, 201412 yr by venom2011

Although, in my opinion, Courtois is marginally better than Cech at shot stopping, our way forward has to lie in Cech's hands. He has been an absolute legend for us and still plays at an incredibly high level. If he decides that it is time to potentially give Courtois a chance and take a back seat, then and only then, should it happen. I'm sure that he can see the merits and demerits of either outcome and seems to have the intelligence and love for the club to take a rational decision. We don't want to be a cutthroat business where only winning matters. Of course, if his levels drop dramatically, it is another story but that hasn't happened yet. I'm sure Jose will talk it out with him before coming to a decision.

 

I still think Courtois is marginally better and voted for him.

That is all that matters I'm afraid. Both are chelsea players so the better keeper should be playing. It would be the same if we had a centre back better than terry.

Why is it sentimentality to want to keep one of the best keepers in the world, who's still only 31?

 

I'd say it's a case of thinking the grass is greener somewhere else to want to kick him out and replace him with a 21 year old who for all his accomplishments, has not proven that he's on Cech's level.

Why is it sentimentality to want to keep one of the best keepers in the world, who's still only 31?

 

I'd say it's a case of thinking the grass is greener somewhere else to want to kick him out and replace him with a 21 year old who for all his accomplishments, has not proven that he's on Cech's level.

Out of curiosity, cause it's not the first time this has come up, but what more does Courtois have to do to prove he's on Cech's level? Play well in the World Cup?

The voting is almost 50-50....that's what I call a good debate..even reached talksport now!!

http://talksport.com/football/gibson-chelsea-would-be-foolish-let-courtois-leave-permanently-14022080577?

Edited February 20, 201412 yr by The Brit

Why is it sentimentality to want to keep one of the best keepers in the world, who's still only 31?

 

I'd say it's a case of thinking the grass is greener somewhere else to want to kick him out and replace him with a 21 year old who for all his accomplishments, has not proven that he's on Cech's level.

Because we have a younger better one in our ranks already.

...Yeah you helped us win 3 premier leagues, a couple Fa cups, a League Cup and 2 european trophies (one being the champions league) but there is some kid who has "potential" to be better so cheers and thanks for the memories....

I think it's fair to say he has far more than just potential. Look at it this way, he's 21 and is without a doubt (for people who regularly watch his games) already one of the better keepers in the game. Were he to stop improving immediately and remain at his current level, you would still have most managers scrambling over each other to get him. But then consider the fact that he's only 21, which makes it logical to believe that he will only improve further in to his twenties. If he's this good now, imagine him at 25/26.

Secondly, as Bluehatter mentioned, what happens in 4/5 years when Cech is likely to be past his prime. We'll have to shop around and pay an extortionate amount of money on a keeper who probably won't be as good as Courtois already is, or promises to be. Being sentimental is all well and good but seriously, 4/5 years time when we're looking for a new keeper this would look like one of the most short sighted decisions we could have made.

Also to those saying Courtois hasn't proven himself by winning anything........He plays for Atletico Madrid for goodness sake. Put him in the Barca/PSG/Bayern goal and I can be fairly certain he would have won something.

Out of curiosity, cause it's not the first time this has come up, but what more does Courtois have to do to prove he's on Cech's level? Play well in the World Cup?

 

Play well in Chelsea and help us to win some major trophies. For me they have to battle it out for 1 or 2 seasons, let José decide based on seeing them training next to each other and on actual performances in the same team. Neither of them should find fighting for their places below them.

Out of curiosity, cause it's not the first time this has come up, but what more does Courtois have to do to prove he's on Cech's level? Play well in the World Cup?

 

Be consistently excellent for nine years, year in, year out, in title deciders, Champions League finals, FA Cup finals and so on. Be so consistently good that we all get complacent about how good he is and think he needs to be replaced by a 21 year old when he's still at the top of his game.

 

Because we have a younger better one in our ranks already.

 

Courtois is not better than Cech. Younger, yes, but not better.

Edited February 20, 201412 yr by Englishman

Be consistently excellent for nine years, year in, year out, in title deciders, Champions League finals, FA Cup finals and so on. Be so consistently good that we all get complacent about how good he is and think he needs to be replaced by a 21 year old when he's still at the top of his game.

 

 

Courtois is not better than Cech. Younger, yes, but not better.

Ah that comes down to opinions!

I'll admit that I have not seen Courtois on a regular basis but from what I have seen and all the reports about him tend to imply that he is at Cechs level if not slightly ahead. The prem is different 

to plays goals in than many other leagues and this is the only thing that he has left to prove. Evidence would show that he is very capable in the air.

 

I love Cech and think he is still a great keeper and can do a good solid job for us for at least another 3/4 years and maybe longer, so if we remain with him I wouldn't be too bothered.

 

However the probability is that Cech is at the top of his game, or maybe just past it and realistically he is not going to improve.

 

Courtois is just beginning and, although not guaranteed, is more than likely to improve with experience. For this reason I think Chelsea will bring him back, a bit of a gamble but one worth 

taking in my opinion.

. Probably doesn't mean a lot to most fans but for me club culture and sportsmanship are just as important as winning and losing Cech would feel like another shift towards a faceless winning machine.[/quote

Your right about the faceless winning machine Syd.mourhino doesn't care about sentimental fans.he cares about himself on the world footballing stage.you are wrong however,about cech .he was one of a band of players trying to get rid of scholari ,so little respect for him.

Your entirely right about everything else.players should do what they are paid to do and play football and keep their mouths shut.

. Probably doesn't mean a lot to most fans but for me club culture and sportsmanship are just as important as winning and losing Cech would feel like another shift towards a faceless winning machine.[/quote

Your right about the faceless winning machine Syd.mourhino doesn't care about sentimental fans.he cares about himself on the world footballing stage.you are wrong however,about cech .he was one of a band of players trying to get rid of scholari ,so little respect for him.

 

 

I don't think that is true at all Kevin, at least not in that manner. Yes, it was widely reported that Cech and the other senior players disagreed with Scolari but they were unhappy at the lack of intensity in Scolari's training sessions. The senior players felt they were not being prepared adequately and our fitness and results records seem to back them up at the time.

 

 

By "faceless winning machine" I mean Mourinho's pursuit of success often at the expense of dignity. Mourinho expects his players to buy into the same win-at-all-costs mentality. Obviously, I enjoy winning more than anything else, but I still am a bit idealistic in that I enjoy players who marry a champion ability with an air of class, people like Zola, Lampard, Mata and of course Cech. I'd rather our club stay away from the cynical edge that Mourinho brings to his charges but I can accept that ultimately, winning is the only thing that matters.

. Probably doesn't mean a lot to most fans but for me club culture and sportsmanship are just as important as winning and losing Cech would feel like another shift towards a faceless winning machine.[/quote

Your right about the faceless winning machine Syd.mourhino doesn't care about sentimental fans.he cares about himself on the world footballing stage.you are wrong however,about cech .he was one of a band of players trying to get rid of scholari ,so little respect for him.

Your entirely right about everything else.players should do what they are paid to do and play football and keep their mouths shut.

Nice twisting to blame Mourinho there, very impressive. If you actually believe that of Mourinho then you obviously are allowing your hatred of him to blind you to the truth. You only have to look at how the majority of players who have been under him look up to him and will run through walls for him to see he has a massive emotional investment in them and clubs.

You might be being slightly harsh on Jose there SC.

But for me it goes further than that. On these boards a mistake (even one) has always stimulated the classic is Cech good enough anymore?, head injury this, not the same that, conversation.

I've personally never felt he got the respect he deserves. Mere months after he saved three penalties to win us the CL people were bemoaning a mistake and questioning his future. This is merely the latest in the long line of disrespect for a club legend.

Mata being moved on after being two time player of the year is one thing, but moving on a club legend merely because a player is younger and at about the same level is a move towards the souless club that opposition fans often wrongly accuse us of being.

Out of curiosity, cause it's not the first time this has come up, but what more does Courtois have to do to prove he's on Cech's level? Play well in the World Cup?

Play well in the premier league maybe for a start.

Nice twisting to blame Mourinho there, very impressive. If you actually believe that of Mourinho then you obviously are allowing your hatred of him to blind you to the truth. You only have to look at how the majority of players who have been under him look up to him and will run through walls for him to see he has a massive emotional investment in them and clubs.

Kevin is a closest Manc, or else a troll. One of the two.

You might be being slightly harsh on Jose there SC.

But for me it goes further than that. On these boards a mistake (even one) has always stimulated the classic is Cech good enough anymore?, head injury this, not the same that, conversation.

I've personally never felt he got the respect he deserves. Mere months after he saved three penalties to win us the CL people were bemoaning a mistake and questioning his future. This is merely the latest in the long line of disrespect for a club legend.

Mata being moved on after being two time player of the year is one thing, but moving on a club legend merely because a player is younger and at about the same level is a move towards the souless club that opposition fans often wrongly accuse us of being.

totally agree. i think most football fans under-estimate cech's quality tbh. the amount of arguents ive had with mates over who is the best keeper in the prem, and they refuse to accept that cech is even in the top 3. unbelievable. the guy is still world class, and i wouldnt take any other keeper in world football over him, including courtois. if courtois is happy to come and fight for his place then good luck to him, but we can't let him and his father bully a club legend out of a place at chelsea, and i dont believe mourinho ever would.

the odd mistake will always happen, and when keepers make mistakes they are highlighted more as they always cost goals and points.

Play well in the premier league maybe for a start.

 

And how is he supposed to do that if he doesnt start ahead of Cech?

Plenty of ways, break him in on easier fixtures, loan him for half a season to see how he fairs

Plenty of ways, break him in on easier fixtures, loan him for half a season to see how he fairs

 

 

Loan him where? We are talking about the best keeper in la Liga, playing in the CL, fighting for the title against teams like Barca and Real and you are suggesting we should loan him to a mid table, or even a bottom 10 team in the premier league? Thats just insulting.

 

And please dont start with the whole 'hes under contract and he should do as hes told' crap. If my boss told me 'next year youll be the coffee guy' i certainly wouldnt say 'youre the boss and i respect your decision'. Id tell him to fuk off

Go on you

And how is he supposed to do that if he doesnt start ahead of Cech?

Come to Chelsea, train for Jose and impress enough to earn his position, same as every other player.

Loan him where? We are talking about the best keeper in la Liga, playing in the CL, fighting for the title against teams like Barca and Real and you are suggesting we should loan him to a mid table, or even a bottom 10 team in the premier league? Thats just insulting.

 

And please dont start with the whole 'hes under contract and he should do as hes told' crap. If my boss told me 'next year youll be the coffee guy' i certainly wouldnt say 'youre the boss and i respect your decision'. Id tell him to fuk off

 

Is it easier to insult a club legend? He should return to the club and fight for the shirt like any other player.

No respect whatsoever