Outlook is good for injured Cech

The Czech Republic team doctor, Petr Krejci, has said Petr Cech could resume playing in a few months if the Chelsea goalkeeper…

The Czech Republic team doctor, Petr Krejci, has said Petr Cech could resume playing in a few months if the Chelsea goalkeeper's recovery from a fractured skull goes smoothly. Krejci has spoken to doctors treating Cech, who suffered the injury at Reading on Saturday, but emphasised no firm timescale can be put on his rehabilitation at this stage.

"Firstly, it is important to see that Petr is really at 100 per cent okay," he said. "He could then start training in a few weeks' time and return to the league games in a few months' time, but this is only if his recovery goes on without problems. The doctors are saying at this moment that the outlook for his recovery is good."

Krejci said Cech could leave hospital this week but added it was too early to rule out a setback. "There could be complications if some fragments of the bone stab in the brain or there is internal bleeding," he said.

"Fortunately this did not happen, according to the English doctors, so they are optimistic. However, we still cannot eliminate this danger."

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Meanwhile, Mark Ainsworth, the South Central Ambulance Service's operations manager on duty at the match, has denied Jose Mourinho's claim that it took 30 minutes to get Cech into an ambulance.

"We didn't take half an hour," Ainsworth said. "It wasn't our delay. We are disappointed to have been dragged into it. It has tarnished our name."

Reading's head of communications, Andy West, said: "We feel all the necessary provisions were in place and that Petr Cech received the best possible treatment under the guidance and control of the Chelsea club doctor."

Reading's Republic of Ireland midfielder Stephen Hunt believes he will be a marked man following his collision with Cech.

Hunt's main strengths are his energy and commitment. And the winger, who has been booked only once in 54 games for Reading, insists he will not change his game. He is hoping to retain his place for the visit of Arsenal on Sunday despite Bobby Convey being back in contention.

Hunt, aged 26, said: "I won't change my game. I will still try to get around the pitch. That's what I am all about. There will be more attention on me now. I won't change my game, but maybe I have to be careful about how I go around tackling.

"It won't be a problem because I'm clever enough to deal with any situations that might arise, such as tackles that come my way."

Hunt admitted he was hurt by Mourinho's comments that he meant to hurt Cech, but refused to blast the outspoken Portuguese boss. "He's just looking out for his own players," insisted Hunt. "I fully understand his point of view. I just hope Cech makes a quick recovery.

"I wrote him a letter wishing him the best and saying there was absolutely no malice in it whatsoever. I still don't even know what part of my body hit him. I certainly didn't think it was that serious at the time.

"Hopefully he'll understand. He's one of the best keepers in the world and I wish him all the best. The Chelsea boys went to see him the other day and he's with his family now. That's the most important thing, so I won't go and see him myself."

Uefa have confirmed that Arsenal captain Thierry Henry has no right of appeal against the booking he incurred after scoring what he thought was an equaliser against CSKA Moscow on Tuesday night.

The French striker looked to have earned a point for the London club in the Russian capital when he controlled a deep cross from the right at the far post with his chest, and stroked the ball home.