Chelsea legend Petr Cech was present at the Cobham Training Centre to welcome the Spireites academy when the youngsters and staff spent time with their Chelsea counterparts recently.
Ahead of the FA Cup clash between Chelsea and Chesterfield at Stamford Bridge, the academies were given a chance to work together throughout the day, from the youngest age group, Under 8s, to Under 16s.
Cech, whos is a five-time FA Cup winner, believes the opportunity the day presented was a fantastic experience for the Spireites.
“It was a wonderful day to remember for all the young boys, not only training with them but also seeing the facilities and to take part of the training session,” he said.
“I think it was a great event, especially for the Chesterfield academy to come and see the level of the Chelsea academy, how the work goes and what the players do. We know when teams are developing players, you want them to see some sort of a benchmark.
“I always remember training with the older boys and training with the better player, you alwayslook up to them and think, ‘Okay, I want to try to do that and I see how much more work I have to do to be like them.’ I think it’s great motivation.”
An alliance between the two clubs would bring multiple benefits in terms of player development, which Cech thinks is vital to the future of youth football. The 39-year-old also believes that starting young is a key part of pushing players to the top level.
He said: “I think it’s important to start early because you get a better understanding of the game principles as well as the more time you practice, the better you get.
“When you start late, the others obviously have an advantage over you and generally in football or any sport, the learning processes is all about the hours you put in to understand the game the best you can.
“Everybody here is about developing good players and helping the players to become the best version of themselves. Hopefully they will take this as motivation that will inspire them for the next few years.”
