Now Cech is aiming to teach boyhood idol Edwin a lesson

For the most part the names on the sheet represented respected, sympathetic fellow professionals and sometime rivals for the Chelsea goalkeeper.

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But 36-year-old Edwin van der Sar's stood out as a player Cech had been influenced by as a child.

The FA Cup Final, in which the pair will face each other at Wembley on Saturday, never made it on to his TV as grew up in then Communist-run Czechoslovakia.

Yet the Champions League Final was different story and Cech has vivid memories of Van der Sar helping kick Ajax to glory in 1995 against AC Milan in Vienna.

He said: "At that time he was a great example when the new rule came in that meant goalkeepers could not pick up back passes. Everybody could see that he was playing well with both feet and they were using him a lot.

"He showed that in the future everyone should develop their kicking. When he played in that final I was 13 and for me he was a good example for one of the ways I should work. In this aspect he was the one who caught my eye."

Cech's footwork is one of the many impressive parts of his game and when he lists Peter Schmeichel and Gianluigi Buffon as other goalkeeping influences, it helps explain his rounded style.

Many at Chelsea, and beyond, have little doubt the club would have retained their Premiership title if their No1 keeper had not missed the start and the middle of the season recovering from a shoulder operation and fractured skull. Cech would more than likely been voted the league's best goalkeeper too, but instead the award went to Dutchman Van der Sar.

The Czech international said: "I voted for him. He had a great season and you always need a good goalkeeper to be successful. They won the league and he was solid for the whole campaign."

Although the form of the keepers on Saturday could be decisive, most United watchers expect the difference to come in attacking play.

United are less cautious than Jose Mourinho's team and have a wealth of creative talent which Chelsea lack.

Arjen Robben's absence after his knee operation in March emphasised the point and on Saturday he may only be able to offer his side a 20-minute burst.

The Dutch winger warned the fitness and guile of the man he was almost bought from PSV to replace three years ago at Old Trafford, Ryan Giggs, could be one of Chelsea's biggest problems at Wembley.

Robben said: "When I was younger and started to watch English football a little bit more I was quite a fan of him.

"He's had a great career and even now even though he's 33 he looks so fit and sharp still. He can win games for United.

"Maybe he's lost pace but he makes up for it with experience. It's the perfect example of it this season. He was one of the most important players for United in winning the league."

Cech hopes to keep the Welshman quiet and celebrate another clean sheet when he turns 25 years old on Sunday.

His family are coming over from the Czech Republic for the game but, unlike most foreign players who come to England, they cannot claim any longstanding love affair with the FA Cup.

Cech only viewed his first full final four years ago — Arsenal's 1-0 win against Southampton, which featured Ashley Cole. He was with with Rennes in France at the time and he is relieved his friends back home will be able him in his debut Final.

He said: "In the past few years the Cup Final has been on telly in the Czech Republic, thank God. You have got so many fans of Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal because of Tomas Rosicky, so I am happy they can see the Final.

"I never had the chance to watch the FA Cup growing up because in the former Czechoslovakia at that time it wasn't on.

"You couldn't see any Premiership games and there were just the highlights in a sports bulletin for like 40 seconds, you could see only goals."

His experience could not have been more different from Mourinho's, for whom watching the Cup Final was one of the annual football highlights of his childhood.

The Portuguese used to dream of winning the trophy and enjoyed about how special the FA Cup Final is but when you cannot see the game you don't realise.

"When I saw the first game I realised how much it meant to the players and the fans to be in the final.

"Before I came to England I didn't know much about the FA Cup but since I arrived it has been incredible and now I understand."

Mourinho is considering bringing back Ashley Cole and playing Wayne Bridge in front of him in midfield.

Michael Ballack is out, Robben and John Obi Mikel are doubtful and the absence of defender Ricardo Carvalho is likely to force Michael Essien into the back four.

Mourinho said: "Ashley or Bridge — I have to make my decision. Who knows, I could play with both because Bridge can also play in midfield and we are struggling with players there."

Mikel is determined to play despite suffering a hamstring problem last weekend but the Portuguese doubts his ability to come through 90 minutes and the same goes for Robben, who has made one substitute appearance since knee surgery in March.

Mourinho said: "If Ashley and Robben are fit from the body point of view, I have many doubts they have good conditions to play the game.

"But if I can have Robben on the bench to give 15 or 20 minutes, I would be very happy with that.

"Mikel is a risk, especially in a final where you have 90 intense minutes and the chance of 30 more."