Jose Mourinho has managed to make Petr Cech‘s retirement from football all about him.
Cech announced his decision to hang up his gloves at the end of the season on Tuesday, calling time on a 20-year professional career.
The 37-year-old, one of the Premier League’s greatest ever keepers, has chosen the absolute right time to retire.
But Mourinho managed to give himself the credit for starting a then-22-year-old Cech immediately at Chelsea.
The Portuguese neglected to mention how it was Claudio Ranieri who actually arranged the Czech’s signing in February 2004, as well as the fact that a pre-season injury to Carlo Cudicini made his decision a little easier.
“I am honoured to have been the manager that, at such an early age, gave Petr a top Premier League number one shirt,” Mourinho said.
“After that day, it is all about him. All about his numbers, his performances, his clean sheets, his titles and his professionalism.
“It’s a big loss for football but history can’t be deleted. Many congratulations on such an amazing career.”