When Petr Cech speaks, you listen.
With a Champions League winner's medal now to add to his numerous Premier League and FA Cup trinkets - to say nothing of the 92 caps he has earned in a 10-year international career - the Chelsea and Czech Republic goalkeeper has enjoyed more than his fair share of shining moments in his stellar career. So after being humbled in last Friday's opening game against Russia, forced to pick the ball out of the net four times - twice as many as in both games against Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final - Cech was in no mood to be sympathetic to his teammates.
The Chelsea stopper called for more aggression from the start in Tuesday's must-win game against Greece, and with Cech's words ringing in their ears at the opening kickoff, his teammates responded.
Two goals up within six minutes, the Czechs were able to apply cruise control for the final 84 minutes, and although they conceded once, early on in the second half, the 1976 European champion was rarely threatened and was full value for the three points that restores confidence and puts it back in control of its own destiny.
However, though victory over Poland on Saturday would secure a place in the quarter-finals, the Czechs are a long way from being a contender for the European crown once again. Though starting three holdovers from the team that lost to Greece in the semi-finals of Euro 2004 - a team that was arguably that tournament's best, despite the upset loss to the eventual champions - times have changed dramatically.
Milan Baros, the top scorer in that tournament with five, can't even find the net with GPS these days, let alone with any part of his anatomy, and that run of ineffectiveness continued Tuesday with the Czech goals coming from midfield once again.
Cech, who legitimately had claims to be the world's best 'keeper 10 years ago, showed that his star has fallen these days with a goalkeeping calamity, letting Greece's only shot on goal slip through his fingers and straight into the path of Fanis Gekas, who had the simplest of tasks to tuck it away. Though Cech can occasionally turn back the clock - during Chelsea's Champions League run, for instance - he is not the model of consistency of old.
Only Rosicky had reason to be content with his performance, pulling the strings in the centre of midfield, but whereas 10 years ago he was aided and abetted by the likes of Pavel Nedved, in the current setup he has more responsibility on his shoulders, which makes him easier to nullify as Russia showed so effectively last Friday.
So, though the mood in the Czech camp has likely been lifted on the back of a solid performance, there will be many tougher battle to come for the 50-to-1 tournament outsider.
Paul Attfield