David Seaman: 'Fantastic' Petr Cech Retiring 'A Little Bit Early'

Arsenal legend David Seaman is surprised Petr Cech is retiring at the end of the season, saying it's "a bit early" for the 36-year-old but the Czech goalkeeper knows what's best for him.

Seaman praised the "fantastic" veteran shot-stopper in an interview with Sky Sports (h/t Goal's Nick Howson), but he also said he believes Cech has more left in the tank:

"Honestly, I was surprised, he's only 36. I thought it was a little early, but when you are a goalkeeper, you know when it is time to retire. Petr has had his own chat with people, and he has his own thoughts as well. 

"For him it is the right time, but I just thought it was a little bit early. I was ready. I was 40 and had been 22 years a pro and really enjoyed myself.  Petr's 36, and I can't help thinking he might feel 'I could have gone on for another couple of years.'

"He was one of the best, no doubt. The standard he set when he came in was brilliant, and that has been proven by all the trophies he has won. He won a hell of a lot of trophies with Chelsea, came to Arsenal and still kept that standard of great goalkeeping."

Cech announced his intention to retire at the end of this season on Tuesday:

The former Chelsea star has mostly been confined to the bench after a solid start to the season. An unfortunate injury opened the door for Bernd Leno to grab the starting position.

Cech will be 37 at the end of the campaign and out of contract at Arsenal. He was not expected to sign a new deal with the Gunners, and he likely wouldn't receive offers from clubs of similar stature.

His announcement still sent a shockwave through the football world, however, and many praised the former Czech Republic international

Andres Iniesta was among them:

So was former team-mate Thibaut Courtois:

Cech moved to Chelsea in 2004 and spent over a decade at Stamford Bridge. In that span, he established himself as one of the best in the world and arguably the best-ever in the Premier League.

He won four Premier League titles and the UEFA Champions League with the Blues. 

Even a serious head injury suffered in 2006 couldn't stop him―the stopper came back wearing a rugby-style helmet, which has since become something of a trademark, and returned to the form he displayed before the heavy clash that resulted in a skull fracture.

The switch to Arsenal followed in 2015, and Cech has added an FA Cup win with the Gunners, his fifth in total. He also set the record for most clean sheets in the English top division:

Seaman spent more than a decade between the sticks for Arsenal, winning the Premier League twice and the First Division once. He was released in 2003 and moved to Manchester City before announcing his retirement at the age of 40.