When City supporters turn the
conversation to choosing their best loved players, there’s always a wide
variety of names proposed and no shortage of favourites. The most recognised
names are familiar, celebrated and remembered fondly, along with their background
stories.
However, the generation gap means
that certain players are not as readily brought to mind and their stories, if
not forgotten, are often consigned to the further reaches of the collective
conscience. With that in mind, perhaps it’s time to introduce the younger City
fans to Kazimierz Deyna – and to remind his past and present admirers of what
the man also known as Kaziu or, affectionately, ‘Kazzy’ was all about.
Elegant, composed and blessed
with wonderful vision and football brain, Deyna’s brief stay at City earned him
countless admirers both within the club and on the terraces. He was born in
Starogard Gdanski in northern Poland, on October 23 1947. He was the son of a
dairy worker and was one of nine siblings in a big family. Football was in the
bloodline as two of his brothers also played the game; Henryk for Wlokniarz
Starogard Gdanski and Franciszek for Starogardzki KS.
Kaziu began his career playing
youth football at the age of 11 for his local side, Wloknairz Starogard
Gdanski. When he turned 19 he moved to LKS Lodz before heading to Legia Warsaw.
Deyna had been called up into the Polish army and at the time Legia were known
as an army club. It was during his time at the club when the midfielder really
made his name.
In both 1969 and 1970 Legia won
the Polish title but it was on the international stage where Deyna caught the
eyes of fans and managers around the world. At the 1972 Olympic Games in
Munich, he scored twice against Hungary in the final to help Poland win the
gold medal. He was the top scorer at the games, netting nine goals.
An intelligent playmaker and
attacking midfielder, Deyna continued his form into the 1974 World Cup, also
held in Germany. The Poles impressed and deservedly finished third, beating
Brazil 1-0. Deyna was subsequently ranked third in the 1974 European Football
of the Year, behind all-time greats Johan Cruyff (Holland) and Franz Beckenbauer
(West Germany).
By this time, Kazzy had attracted
the attention of a variety of managers across the continent. Real Madrid had
sent him a shirt with the number 14 on it and AS Monaco made enquiries in an
attempt to sign him. But being an officer in the army meant that he was unable
to leave Poland and was denied permission to play in Western Europe until the
age of 30.
Deyna went to the 1976 Olympic
Games in Montreal and assisted Poland in winning the silver medal. In 1978 he
captained his country at the World Cup in Argentina and progressed through to
the second round.
When he reached the age of 30,
after scoring 93 goals in 304 appearances for Legia, he was itching for a new
football challenge and to experience a different culture. With all kinds of
offers on the table he decided to make the move to England - and to City. His
transfer fee was around £100,000 but this was paid mainly in photocopying
machines and medical instruments given to the Polish army, with the balance
being made up in US dollars. The American currency helped Poland fund the
overseas training of their athletes for the 1980 Olympics.
Deyna made his City debut under
Tony Book in a 2-1 home defeat by Ipswich in November 1978. Back in those days
it was rare to have foreign players in England, but his elegance and composure,
together with his knack for making the sublime look simple, instantly endeared
him to the Maine Road faithful.
Former City player Paul Lake is
one of Deyna’s biggest fans having watched him through envious young eyes.
“I first saw Deyna play in the
World Cup in 1978 and thought what an exciting player had in its midfield,”
recalls Paul. “He seemed quite tall and was very elegant in the way he moved
and was comfortable with either foot. What impressed me the most was the skill
of the guy, seemingly at odds with the Polish style of play and more in tune
with the Argentineans and the Dutch. I never tired of watching him play.
“You can imagine my excitement
when he turned up at Maine Road. I couldn’t believe what a brilliant move this
way by the club. As it turned out, he was blighted with injury but I remember
that he scored some crucial goals and his unique style of football will never
be forgotten by the fans of the time. He was an extremely clever footballer.”
Lake was not the only man
impressed. Alex Williams MBE, who works tirelessly for City in the Community,
fondly remembers playing alongside the Pole.
“I was in the reserves team in
the late 1970s at the time when he came over to England as part of the Poland
team. It was so great for me as a youngster to train with him and see him play
as he had great experience and was a fabulous player.
“He did everything with such
style. He had learned how to look after himself on the pitch and could pick
defences apart. Even though he was in the later stages of his career, he still
oozed class. He was a deceptive player too, because he never seemed to do
anything quickly but his brain was super fast.”
Deyna was clever enough to know a
good thing when he saw one and was happy to sign up for a bit of movie stardom
in the early ‘80s when he featured alongside Sylvester Stallone and City’s very
own Mike Summerbee in the film Escape to
Victory. Kaziu was one of several worldwide football luminaries such as
Pele and Ossie Ardilles in the movie which was a big hit. Summerbee was, like
everyone else, impressed.
“I didn’t play with Kazzy as I’d
already left the club. But I played with him in Escape to Victory in Budapest and we were together for four or five
weeks. I knew him from coming to watch the games at City and I’d met him
socially a few times. He was a superb man but he was a great footballer: you
don’t get capped for your country that many times if you’re not a great player.
“Kazzy was a great friend. He was
very patriotic and very proud to play for his country. He was also a great
ambassador for Polish football. All of us who knew him respected him as a man
and footballer. He was a superb professional, one of the best around.”
Early in the 1979-80 season,
before shooting his scenes in the movie, the Pole picked up an injury but
scored on his return just six games later, helping the Blues to a 2-1 win at
Leeds. But he struggled with injuries and ultimately John Bond’s arrival as
manager in 1981 signalled the end of Deyna’s City career. After 38 appearances
and 13 goals, he emigrated to the United States of America and signed for the
San Diego Sockers.
He continued his success in
America where he won five North American Soccer League championships, scoring
151 goals in 242 appearances before being released in 1987. Deyna lived and
breathed football. His dream was to open a football school for children and
teenagers in Poland. Sadly, it was a dream that would never be fulfilled.
For the final two years of his
life the midfield magician struggled with personal problems. On September 1
1989 he crashed his car into a truck in California and tragically died. He was
41 years old. It’s a tribute to how brilliantly talented Deyna was that he
played so few games for City but left such a lasting impression. Legia decided
to retire his number 10 shirt as a mark of respect and he is widely reminisced
as one of his best Polish footballers ever. He scored 41 goals in 97
appearances for his country.
“To know that he died in a car
accident in San Diego was very upsetting,” Summerbee concludes. “It was a
tragedy that his life ended so early. He was such a nice man and very popular with
the City fans. When we signed him, even I thought it was a great move to have a
player of his quality at the club. I can remember him being a good man. We’ve
lost a great friend in Deyna and a great player too.”
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