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Huge
thanks to Krzysio Bandych for sending this excellent
profile from Poland. 
Kazimierz
Deyna
Kazimierz Deyna
was the best Polish player in history. He was nicknamd
'rogal' (croissant). His team mates called him that
because Deyna's shots looked like croissants. His life
was just like his shots - unforeseeable.
In 1966 he became a Legia Warsaw's player. Deyna was an
offensive midfielder and a very intelligent playmaker.
Both coaches Vejvoda of Legia and Gorski from the
national team understood that if they gave him 'the
freedom of kicking and thinking' he was unstoppable.
In 1972 during the Olympic Games in Munich, two excellent
goals from Deyna in final of the football tournament gave
Poland the gold medal. Two years later at the 1974 World
Cup Finals, also held in Munich, Poland, with Deyna as
captain, won the best result in their history and showed
football of next century.
Deyna scored three goals in the tournament. The most
beautiful was a shot scored against Italy from a distance
of eighteen metres. Dino Zoff had no chance. Deyna was
chosen as one of the top three players of the tournament
with Johan Cruyff and Franz Beckenbauer (Star Players of Mexico).
Unfortunately, he couldn't go to the west after the '74
World Cup. Real Madrid sent a shirt to Poland for Deyna
with a number 14. Prince Rainier tried to take him
to AS Monaco, but Kazik didn't get permission to play in
Western Europe. As a player of Legia the army club, he
was officer of Polish army, as a soldier he couldn't
leave Poland.
Kazimierz
Deyna playing against Beckenbauer
Only when he was 31 years old and no longer in the same
shape, did he go to ManCity. He became the second player
from Eastern Europe in premiership. It was not good time
for him. The English style of playing football was not
suited to Deyna's own style. To play well, Deyna had to
have full trust from the coach and teammates. The manager
of Manchester City sometimes used him as a centre
striker, sometimes as defensive midfielder. It wasn't a
clever move !
In 1981 he moved to USA, and became a San Diego Sockers
player. At this time Deyna took a part in the famous
football film, 'Escape to Victory' with Pelé, Bobby
Moore, Osvaldo Ardilles and Michael Caine.
The 80's period was a time of many disappointments for
Deyna. He lost a lot of money, and had problems with his
marriage. Sometimes he used to get drunk. His dream was
to make a football school for children and teenagers in
Poland. Deyna's dreams never came true.
On the 1st of September 1989 in San Diego, his car
crashed into a big truck. The boot opened and dozens of
footballs fell out. Deyna was coming back from training
for 10 year old boys that he had organised.
Kazimierz Deyna, born 23.10.1947 in Starogard Gdanski;
died 01.09.1989 in San Diego
.
Midfielder, captain of polish national team in 1974 and
1978.
Champion and vice-Champion of Olympic Games in 1972 and
1976.
In Polish team: 97 matches plus 6 unofficial, scored 41
goals (4 unofficial);
Third player of WC'74;
Clubs: Wlokniarz Starogard Gdanski (1960 - 1966), LKS
Lodz (1966 one game), Legia Warsaw (1966 - 1978, 304
matches in league, 94 goals), Manchester City (1978 -
1981, 38 matches in league, 12 goals), San Diego Sockers
(1981- 1987).
For links
on other sites see...
An
incredible site that is a very fitting tribute can be
found at deyna.info (in
Polish)
Thanks
very much to Chris (Krzysio Bandych) for the above
profile and sending the two pictures, too.
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