A window into the past: Legia midfielder Deyna was saved by Czech coach Vejvoda

Polish team Legia Warsaw proved to be a tough opponent for Slavia Prague in their Europa League journey, taking home a 2-2 draw from Eden. It is the most famous Polish club, its jersey has been worn by outstanding footballers throughout history. The best – the legend – was undoubtedly the world-class midfielder of the 1970s, Kazimierz Deyna. His rich career was saved by Czech coach Jaroslav Vejvoda.

The creator of the Legia Warsaw game, Portuguese midfielder André Martins, wears the number 8. The best scorer Czech striker Tomas Pekhart 9. No one wears the magic number 10, which indicates the great maturity of a player. It is forever attributed to a club legend named Kazimierz Deyna.

Bronze medalist at the 1974 World Championships, Olympic champion in 1972, silver in 1976. He played in 97 matches for the national team and scored 41 goals. This is the basic calling card of a Polish nobleman.

It perhaps says more about his footballing ability that in his time he formed a constellation with the greats like Johan Cruijff and Franz Beckenbauer.

Kazimierz Deyna hails from the north of the country, joining Legia Warsaw in 1966 from LKS Lodz at the age of nineteen. With the label of a huge talent. At the same time the team was taken over by the Czech coach Jaroslav Vejvoda. For both of them the connection was fateful.

“A reckless flamendr, that was Deyna’s reputation at the time,” says Bohumil Paukner, the top man at Dukla Prague. During his service as a member of the commercial department at the Czechoslovak embassy in Warsaw, he developed a strong relationship with Polish football and learned a lot about it. Coach Vejvoda and Deyn.

“It is said that it was Vejvoda who saved Deyn’s career, even the footballer himself admitted it in his autobiography,” Paukner says. He was strict with his young charge and never forgave him for anything. Talent, no talent.

“The memoirs recalled how one away game at Deyna was waited for in vain for a long time. He was at some lady’s place, partying, missing for days,” he continues. The reputation of the flamendra was confirmed.

He was just a key figure on the team. “Suddenly an officer, the team leader, Legia was an army club, he brought Deyna with jubilation and relief,” Paukner says. But Coach Vejvoda didn’t back down. He slapped his starlet with a hefty fine and left him at home. “He didn’t do anything to him, which saved his career,” Paukner points out.

Together they celebrated the Polish league title in the 1968/1969 season, for Legia after thirteen long years.

Legia added a fifteenth last year, when they defended the Polish Ekstraklasa championship. It was greatly helped by the Slavic-born Tomas Pekhart, the competition’s top scorer. And now, in the fight to qualify for the Europa League group stage, they faced a team wearing Sšívan’s jerseys.

Representatives of the Polish club used the visit to Prague to remember the Czech coach who meant so much to the club. “The Legia management laid a bouquet of flowers on Vejvoda’s grave in Břevnov ,” Paukner said.

They owe a lot to the Prague native. He also saved the reckless flamendra Kazimieras Deyna for football. A club legend whose number 10 has been scrapped forever and no one will wear it again.

Source: Legia Warszawa