Kazimierz Deyna

[Vienna_70]

I think some tractors featured too!

Fell off the back of a Massey Ferguson lorry most likely if Swales had his hands all over it.

Mrs Vienna told me that her Dad worked at the Massey Ferguson plant in Trafford Park.

 

[Le Havre Oswald]

Thought he was American? Son played dortmund

 

[jamielowndes]

Blimey, that's a bold statement. Not sure many will agree with you though. We got Deyna just before he went to the knackers yard, but he wasn't fit to lace David Silva's boots anytime in his career.

I respect the older generations and I actually enjoy watching matches from generations before my time (I'm 35), but there is more than enough football matches and highlights available from the 60s, 70s and 80s to prove you right.

I'll say it now, Maradona wouldn't lace David Silvas boots. It's not a criticism of Maradona, the game has just advanced incredibly since then.

 

[petrusha]

My memory of watching him, albeit as a young kid, is that Deyna was clearly a high-class player but was past his best when he came to us. He struggled at first with the pace of the English game when we played him in the centre of midfield, and his best moments came when Mal switched him up front in 1979/80.

However, by then we'd sold nearly all the quality players we had, and, as the Stoke manager Alan Durban commented, the problem for City was that Deyna was simply on a different wavelength to the rest of the players. My old man said the same thing, comparing the situation to that of the young Denis Law in his first spell at Maine Road, when he was simply too good for nearly all of the rest of our team.

Also, there wasn't just an away friendly that was part of the deal with Legia Warsaw for Deyna. There was a home one, too, which was delayed from the original planned date and was eventually played as a pre-season match in August 1980. Anyone else remember it?

We were battered, really outclassed. At 5-0 down, the Kippax started cheering on Legia, doing the 'ole' thing as they knocked the ball around and booing if City got it back again. Kevin Reeves scored our consolation near the end against a backdrop of chants of, "We want six! We want six!" The exaggeratedly wild celebrations after Reeves's strike were intended as an absolute piss-take.

You could tell from that display we were in big trouble for the start of the forthcoming season, and we were beaten easily at Southampton four days later before losing 4-0 at home to newly promoted Sunderland the following midweek. I remember the Legia match quite clearly because it was the first time I'd seen the City crowd turn on the team like that.

 

[Vienna_70]

Thought he was American? Son played dortmund

You’re thinking of Claudio Reyna and his son, Giovanni.

But he is American, not Polish.

 

[spacecadet]

Deyna, was as people say past his best when he landed at City. Football was 120mph kick and rush in the UK in them days. However his control and passing were sublime. He was also up with the very best of free kick takers, around the penalty area. He was bending much heavier balls than they use now. Top player.

 

[BlueMoonRisin’]

I respect the older generations and I actually enjoy watching matches from generations before my time (I'm 35), but there is more than enough football matches and highlights available from the 60s, 70s and 80s to prove you right.

I'll say it now, Maradona wouldn't lace David Silvas boots. It's not a criticism of Maradona, the game has just advanced incredibly since then.

Steady on there fella. Maradona is up there with the best players ever to have played the game.

 

[jamielowndes]

Steady on there fella. Maradona is up there with the best players ever to have played the game.

He is, and with good reason. But if you watch the speed of the game, the way players move, the tactics, the game as a whole pales in comparison to where things are now.

Football just moves forward. If Maradona had come round again 20 years later, he would have been much better than the original.

 

[Gone for a Burton]

Wasn’t Deyna voted player of the tournament in the World Cup prior to signing for City.

I remember thinking that he played like Colin Bell,so effortless and classy.

 

[Andy TheCatalyst Morrison]

Don’t worry about nitpicking, I’m an expert at it!

I thought that format only applied to the 1978 World Cup? Will check again!

Edit - just checked and you are absolutely correct. Thank you for nitpicking! :-)

It was 1982 World Cup in Spain that had a second group stage. I think we (England) drew both games 0-0 and went out