DARIUSZ ADAMCZUK
Welcome to a series titled ‘Forgotten men of Ibrox’.
This features players whose Rangers career was either too short, or not memorable enough for many to remember but played a key role in important victories during their spell at the club.
First up is Dariusz Adamczuk, the Polish utility man arrived at Ibrox, via Dundee on a Bosman in the summer of 1999.
Quite what Dick Advocaat saw in the player is somewhat of a mystery, in his time at Dundee, Adamczuk, had played mostly in centre or right midfield but during his short spell with Rangers he was deployed as a right back more often than not. Possibly Advocaat saw him as a cheap or stop-gap replacement for the ageing Sergio Porrini, and felt he could provide us with a more modern attacking full back option.
Adamczuk had started his career in his native Poland, with Pogon Szczecin, playing well enough to gain a spot in Poland’s Olympic side in Barcelona, in the summer of 1992.
Poland were the shock side of the tournament going all the way to the final before losing out to the home side Spain and a team containing such talent as Pep Guardiola, and Luis Enrique. The Polish side also beat an Italian side 3-0, along the way managed by Cesere Maldini, and containing Dino Baggio. Other notable players at the summer games were Brad Fridel, Sami Kuffour, Thomas Brolin and future Rangers stars Jochiam Bjorkland, Claudio Reyna and Tony Vidmar.
His displays in the tournament alerted German side Eintracht Frankfurt, however Adamczuk saw his playing time largely limited, and in 1993 after less than a year he made his first move to Scottish football and Dundee.
Adamczuk, still couldn’t quite settle or make a spot in the Dens side his own, making a somewhat surprising move to Italy with Udinese, again Adamczuk seen his path to first team football hit some roadblocks, making only two appearances in his spell with the club.
The player’s next stops were with Portuguese side Belenenses, and back to his first club Pogon Szczecin before settling back in the city of discovery in 1996. It is there where Adamczuk started to display the type of form and ability that attracted Rangers interest.
During his second spell with the Dens park side Adamczuk became one of the club’s key players, proving to be an industrious player who possessed a great deal of energy and work ethic in the middle or right-hand side of midfield.
In the summer of 1999, Adamczuk became a Rangers player, singing for the treble winners on a Bosman. I don’t recall any great excitement or clamour at the time, in fact many fans were wondering just where he would play, if at all, in a side that had swept all domestically before them the previous season.
Dick Advocaat clearly saw something in the player, however, playing the Pole in a number of games, most notably away to Parma in the second leg of a Champions League qualifier, forming part of a five man defence featuring Craig Moore, Tony Vidmar, Lorenzo Amoruso, and Sergio Porrini. Adamczuk performed admirably in his role, before being replaced by Colin Hendry late on, helping the Gers to a famous 2-1 win on aggregate over a hugely talented Parma outfit.
Adamczuk continued to be used by Advocaat with a degree of regularity making 16 first team appearances up to and including the away tie with Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Cup.
This would not only be a disappointing night for Rangers, who despite being two goals up from the first leg crashed out on penalties, but the player himself making what would be his final appearance for Rangers that season in the match.
Season 2000/01 saw Adamczuk make only three appearances, those would prove to be his last for the Ibrox side before departing on loan to Wigan, and his subsequent retirement from football.
Quite why Adamczuk fell from grace so quickly is one question that had been speculated on at the time, then in 2002 it was reported the player was suffering from depression and struggling mentally with the pressure of playing at such a big club.
Adamczuk will not be the first player that springs to mind when remembering that era, he did without doubt however play a small role in a number of important victories.
Get in touch, let me know as always your views.
@steven_harrigan @rangersnewsuk