Danny Hay ⭑ From A-Z since '92
In New Zealand, Danny Hay was seen as 'the complete modern player'. He didn't become that at Leeds United, but he learned well from seeing what it looked like.
This is part of my (eight year long, it'll fly by) attempt to write about every Leeds United player since 1992. For more about why I'm doing this, go back to Aapo Halme, and to read all the players so far, browse the archive here.
Leeds United have never been averse to scouting the southern hemisphere. Gerry Francis and Albert Johanneson signed from South Africa at the start of the 1960s. Dylan Kerr had returned from playing in South Africa when Leeds gave him a contract in 1988. Bill Fotherby was this close to signing Diego Maradona. In summer 1994, two more players came from South Africa, Lucas Radebe and Phil Masinga.
That autumn, Harry Kewell and Brett Emerton came from Australia for trials at the academy. Kewell stayed, and Leeds tried signing Emerton years later when he'd overcome visa issues and made his mark at Feyenoord. By then, he'd have been joining a squad that still boasted Radebe and Kewell, but now had a greater antipodean influence. Mark Viduka was the biggest name, but he'd been preceded by Aussies Jacob Burns and Danny Milosevic, and first of all, New Zealand centre-back Danny Hay.
It wasn't always clear what Leeds United were planning for Burns, Milosevic or Hay. Burns became a reserve midfielder with a bit part role who went on to play for Barnsley. Milosevic was a third choice goalie. Burns signed in the same summer as Viduka, Milosevic a few months before. Were they meant to keep Kewell and the Duke company? Had Leeds expected them to push harder for first team status? Was Australia, even with all the problems of work permits and travel for international games, seen as a cheap resource of decent quality back-up players?
Danny Hay, who signed in summer 1999, had more to offer. Born in Auckland, he was the son of rugby coach David 'Spot' Hay, who sent him to a soccer school to learn skills that would help him on the rugby field. As it turned out, young Danny forgot about rugby and was soon winning soccer trophies for Waitakere City, learning at the back from experienced former New Zealand international captain Rodger Gray.
When the league switched from winter to summer, Hay switched from Waitakere City to Central United, and the local press was unequivocal about his talents. Hay was tall, fast, a cultured passer of the ball, club captain aged 21. 'Danny Hay is a name which will be known all over the soccer world within the next ten years,' wrote one journalist, Billy Harris, in the Sunday Star Times. 'He's got the goods — physically and mentally — to go all the way ... the complete modern player, with the skill and athleticism to play anywhere on the pitch.' Another commentator's line of praise, however, highlighted the hurdles between Hay and the soccer world. Hay was, 'a strong, cultured defender, capable of making a good living as a full-time professional.'
Hay went full-time by signing for Perth Glory in Australia's National Soccer League, where he was a clubmate of Danny Milosevic and a rival of Jacob Burns — Hay and Burns were sent off for throwing punches at each other when Perth Glory beat Sydney United in February 1999. By that time Hay had been to England, and been rebuffed: not by Crewe, who were happy enough with his trial to offer him a contract and negotiate a fee with Perth Glory.
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