Source: Team_Talk
Cech thankful after injury scare
Petr Cech reckons his helmet might have spared him a second serious head injury almost five years since suffering his infamous fractured skull.[LNB] Chelsea goalkeeper Cech needed hospital treatment after being clattered by Fulham striker Orlando Sa during Wednesday night's Carling Cup victory.[LNB]Cech revealed he could not see straight or stand up in the dressing room at half-time and that, even after being given the all-clear by medics, he was close to pulling out of Saturday's Premier League win over Swansea.[LNB]But it could have been even worse for the 29-year-old had he not been wearing the headgear he has donned in every match since a collision with Reading's Stephen Hunt in October 2006 forced him to have metal plates attached to his skull.[LNB]Recalling Wednesday night's incident, Cech said: "My head went back like when you get a right hook in boxing. What happened, I don't know.[LNB]"I think the helmet took most of the impact."[LNB]Cech felt able to continue for the few minutes until half-time but failed to re-emerge after the break as concussion set in.[LNB]"When I came inside to the dressing room, I couldn't see properly and I didn't have the awareness of the space," he said.[LNB]"There was no way I could continue, although I had played for the last two minutes of the half.[LNB]"I thought I would be all right but, as soon as I got into the dressing room, it was clear that my head wasn't working the way it should.[LNB]"As soon as I sat down, I couldn't stand up.[LNB]"So we decided not to play because it would have been really stupid for me to carry on."[LNB]Cech, who watched team-mate Didier Drogba knocked out cold in a collision in last month's win over Norwich, added: "I went to hospital and had a scan.[LNB]"With my history, they were not taking any chances.[LNB]"But all was clear and I was able to train on Friday."[LNB]That was not the end of the story, however.[LNB]"We weren't sure if I would be able to play (against Swansea)," Cech said.[LNB]"I went out for the warm-up and we said, 'If I'm okay in the warm-up then I play. But if I'm not right I'm not going to play.'[LNB]"You can't be naive and stupid to do things you shouldn't.[LNB]"It would be stupid for me to play a game if I was not right.[LNB]"If you're not right, you can make a mistake that will cost your team-mates a game.[LNB]"So I had full awareness of what is at stake and I was fine and decided to play."
