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COULD IT ACTUALLY HAPPEN?

Should you have overlooked the video of Iliman Ndiaye pulling off a backwards bouncing trick at Everton’s training ground, it’s worth viewing. By pulling off a move so nasty that it would have been appropriate at a Harlem Globetrotters friendly display, the skill immediately shut down what was meant to be a lighthearted kickabout to conclude what had been – up to that point – an illuminating interview about how non-professionals can earn a second chance after being released by professional academies.

Ndiaye, who competed in amateur leagues directly before being recruited by Sheffield United at 19, is expertly placed to address this topic. “Don’t focus on the rejection and one day your luck is going to materialize,” he told a young player immediately prior to executing said ninja move on his opponent, in doing so vividly showing the gulf between Premier League and amateur footballers he had been trying to bridge.

Ndiaye joins a list of professional footballer to push the boundaries. Prime Michael Owen happily embarrassing a teenage keeper in front of a smouldering Neville Southall is obviously the gold standard in this specific category – but the one-time Reds forward is far from the only offender. Both Christian Eriksen and Shinji Kagawa have reduced toddlers to actual tears with a series of harsh skills, although it’s believed that the latter was at least driven by the Japanese player’s social media disgrace caption – “setbacks build character” – and the related tag of #friendship.

Kagawa’s ex-BVB colleagues Lukasz Piszczek, Jakub Blaszczykowski and Nuri Sahin at least had the manners to suffer a loss against 100 children when the group competed during the mid-game pause of their farewell game for BVB. A Real Madrid XI that featured Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso showed less mercy when they took on 109 Chinese kids in a similar experiment. But coming full circle, it’s calculated that only 180 of the 1.5 million boys currently playing structured junior soccer in England will ever appear in the Premier League, a stark reality for aspiring footballers across the country.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Football took me but it never deserted me because I never stopped believing. I went from team to team. The passion for soccer drives you. I couldn’t always see where it was taking me. But today I have the understanding” – national team manager Veljko Paunovic takes time out from his preparations to discuss his path.

FAN FEEDBACK

“Nice to hear that Kevin Mac Allister will be included by Argentina. Hopefully, if he travels to the Bigliest Most Peaceful Cup next year, he’ll research how to get about the tournament sites – let’s avoid him being disoriented in New York” – James Humphries.

“Reports indicate that 1,024 players in the Turkish league have been suspended due to alleged involvement in a betting scandal. It would be fantastic if that number could be increased to the same level of characteristic precision associated with Football Daily – that is, 1,057 readers. By my math, that’s about 33 more perfectionists. If I offer to be suspended from playing professionally in Turkey (not much of a loss at my age and, um, skill level), are there 32 more folks willing to participate in my quest for balance?” – Mike Wilner.

“As a regular follower and Florida resident, can I in advance protest about the coming period of published letters about which route one uses to get to various locations in your island nation? I mean, I was caught in a traffic jam on I-4 at 2am on a Tuesday night driving through Orlando once, but that’s the whole story. There’s no satisfying lesson to the tale. (I-4 links Tampa on the Gulf Coast to Daytona on the Atlantic via Orlando/Walt Disney World, and can have traffic issues at any time)” – Rasteen Nowroozi.

“Concerning Wythenshawe FC, I recollect many years ago playing for a Sunday, very social side, Turnpike Lane Hibs, on Clapham Common. One morning a bloke known as ‘Danny’ turned up to play. I have no idea who invited him. Supposedly he was an actor; he had a useful left foot. (Yes, Daniel Day-Lewis)” – Jason Steger.

“Together with some associates and companions, I play a game of football each Friday afternoon. Our oldest player is pushing 80, while the most junior are in their young adulthood. To ensure a good time for everyone, we have a simple rule of thumb regarding the ability standard: you can be speedy or technical, but preferably not both. We periodically have players who violate this rule, but usually manage to drag them down to our level over time” – Lars Esbjerg.