Deyna, at 39, Suddenly Finds Himself Left Out of the Game by Sockers

SAN DIEGO —  Former Socker Kaz Deyna has this fantasy. A bunch of oldtimers--guys such as Deyna, Gert Wieczorkowski, Martin Donnelly and Volkmar Gross--get together, form an indoor team and play the current Sockers.

And they win.

“I give you a bet we’d beat this Socker team,” said the 39-year old Deyna, who was released by the Sockers this past summer. “Of course, we take Juli Veee (who’s 37), because this is old-timers,” said Deyna, allowing a laugh during a recent interview which was otherwise not very humorous.

Deyna, who got very little playing time during the past two seasons, is bitter at the way his career in San Diego has ended. And as the Soccers opened training camp Monday without him, Deyna feels a void in his life.

For the first time in his life, “The Magic One” does not have a soccer team to play on.

“I was born a soccer player,” said Deyna, a former world-class performer who has played competitively since he was eight. “For me, it’s very tough thinking of different jobs.

“I didn’t play much last season,” said Deyna, who had one goal and six assists in just 13 games. “Other coaches think, Kazee not play, maybe there’s a problem. But I was fit as a bull. I still feel good. I have to play soccer.”

The Tampa Bay Rowdies of the American Indoor Soccer Assn. contacted Deyna this summer--prior to their disbanding--about becoming a player-coach, but Deyna said he still wanted to just play. He wasn’t ready to coach yet.

But Rowdies’ Coach Rodney Marsh said he would still consider Deyna to play outdoor soccer for the Rowdies in the spring of 1988.

“He’s a first-class player and first-class person,” Marsh said.

Socker general partner Bob Bell told Deyna he could come to the Sockers’ training camp. Deyna was more insulted than happy about the gesture.

“I can’t do that,” Deyna said. “I said, ‘Bob, if I didn’t play this season, you think I’ll play next season?’ ”

Bell said he would call around the Major Indoor Soccer League to see if there is any interest in Deyna.

“He still thinks he can play,” Bell said. “If Kazee played on a day-to-day basis, he could play in this league. He could make a St. Louis or Kansas City. Other clubs have different needs than us. Our problem is we’re so loaded in the midfield, where he plays. It’s impossible for me to fit him in.”

Deyna hasn’t gotten any offers from teams and says he’s not the type to call and ask for favors.

“It’s tough for me to call and ask for a tryout,” Deyna said. “I’m not a 19-year old boy. I’m a player. I’m a man. For me, it’s difficult to call somebody. I played too many years. I won in the Olympics, the World Cup and won five championships in San Diego.”

Deyna led Poland to the gold medal in the 1972 Olympics and a silver medal in 1976. He also was captain of Poland’s third-place 1974 World Cup team and fifth-place 1978 World Cup team.

He was an integral part of the Sockers’ first three championship teams, but his playing time was reduced drastically the past two seasons. Deyna blames Coach Ron Newman for that.

“Newman doesn’t understand soccer,” Deyna said. “He thinks Kazee is not fast enough. Brain is fast. Soccer is not a 100-yard dash. I know I have no chance against Carl Lewis.”

In brief appearances last season, Deyna showed he still can perform magic offensively. But defensively, he needed others to make up for his lack of speed.

“Why didn’t Pat Riley ever say to Kareem Jabbar he’s too old?” Deyna said. “Because he knows he’s good. Coach is smart. Coach doesn’t care if Jabbar makes $1 million and a bonus for games.”

That last remark had extra bite, because Deyna’s last contract stated he would receive $500 for each game he played. Deyna often said he felt the Sockers’ weren’t dressing him for games because they wanted to save money. Bell and Newman both adamantly denied that.

“It was the opposite way,” Newman said. “There were times I played him because he did get the money. I’m disappointed when he says things like that. It’s not fair and it’s not true.”

Newman said last season that Deyna--who had a no-cut clause in his contract--was too slow so he prefered to give playing time to younger players.

“I like Kazee,” Newman said. “I don’t always understand him. We kept him on salary for two years when I could have been using the salary for a young, up-and-coming player.”

Deyna’s bitterness toward Newman goes beyond the coach’s use of players. Late last season, Bell said he was considering making Deyna a coach with the Socker reserve team, which is coached by Ron’s son, former Socker defender Guy Newman.

“I was trying to put together some sort of deal for him,” Bell said. The deal would have Deyna working at camps, with the reserve team and serving in a community relations position. However, the Socker camps are no longer in operation. And Bell said hiring Deyna didn’t make economic sense.

“He (Bell) said he liked me very much and what I did for the club and the city,” Deyna said, “but he can’t give me another job. I said, ‘Bob, I know what’s happening and you know what’s happening.’ ”

“It’s family. He (Ron Newman) controls the whole club. Everything. I don’t know why. It’s ridiculous. If Bob Bell said I want Kazee, it’s no problem. But he listens too much. Believes him (Newman) too much. It’s a mistake. Maybe very soon he’ll open his eyes.”

Said Newman: “Guy is doing a great job for me with the reserves. There’s no reason to change it. Most of the work is for nothing. It’s charity work. There’s no real money there. If Kazee does the reserves, he’ll want $20,000 or $30,000. And I’m happy with Johan (assistant coach Johan Aarnio). Where can we put Kazee in?”

Denya will be 40 years old next month. There are no players that age in the MISL.

“I’ve never thought about how long I was going to play,” Deyna said. “Even now, I’m not thinking (about it). But now, it’s different.”

Now, Deyna doesn’t have a team.