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Jose Mourinho insists Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech still has an important role to play at the club this season.
Cech has seen his number one spot snatched by Belgium international Thibaut Courtois this season and Mourinho appreciates Cech is 'unhappy' with his limited game-time.
The 32-year-old has only played 66 minutes this season and has been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge but Cech's representative Viktor Kolar has dismissed those reports.
"The most important thing is what he brings to the team on the pitch, which is top quality," he told Yahoo-Eurosport.
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"When Courtois was injured against Arsenal and Petr Cech comes to play on minute 20, I was so calm. I wasn't worried about a change of goalkeeper.
"So when you have on the bench a super goalkeeper like Petr Cech this is the most important thing.
"Obviously he wants to play, which is why sometimes I make him play. I have to feed the natural ambition of somebody who feels he is a top goalkeeper.
"I have to feed that ambition to keep him. I'm not saying [to keep him] happy, because to be happy a player must play every game, but at least to make him feel that we like him, we respect him and we need him."
