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COULD IT ACTUALLY HAPPEN?

Should you have overlooked the clip of Iliman Ndiaye performing a unusual dribbling move at Everton’s training ground, it’s worth viewing. By pulling off a move so nasty that it would have suited perfectly at a Harlem Globetrotters show game, the skill instantly ended what was meant to be a lighthearted kickabout to conclude what had been – up to that point – an revealing conversation about how Sunday league footballers can secure a fresh start after being let go from professional academies.

Ndiaye, who played Sunday League football directly before being picked up by Sheffield United at 19, is perfectly positioned to speak on this topic. “Avoid dwelling on the rejection and one day your luck is going to arrive,” he told a young player immediately prior to deploying said ninja move on his opponent, in doing so clearly demonstrating the difference between Premier League and amateur footballers he had been attempting to dispel.

Ndiaye is far from the only professional footballer to take things that little bit too far. Prime Michael Owen happily embarrassing a young shot-stopper in front of a fuming Neville Southall is undoubtedly the prime example in this unique area – but the former Liverpool man is far from the only offender. Both Christian Eriksen and Shinji Kagawa have caused kids to weep with a series of harsh skills, although it’s thought that the latter was at least inspired by the Japanese player’s social media disgrace caption – “difficulty breeds resilience” – and the related tag of #friendship.

Kagawa’s ex-BVB colleagues Lukasz Piszczek, Jakub Blaszczykowski and Nuri Sahin at least had the manners to lose their match against 100 children when the three played during the half-time break of their last appearance for BVB. A Real Madrid XI that contained Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso were not so generous when they played against 109 Chinese kids in a similar experiment. But returning to the beginning, it’s estimated that only 180 of the 1.5 million boys currently playing structured junior soccer in England will ever play in the Premier League, a harsh truth for toddlers and teenagers across the country.

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FEATURED STATEMENT

“Soccer carried me but it never left me because I never gave up on my goal. I went from team to team. The devotion to the game carries you. I couldn’t always see where it was taking me. But today I have the answer” – national team manager Veljko Paunovic takes time out from his training to discuss his path.

FAN FEEDBACK

“Good to know that Kevin Mac Allister won’t be excluded by Argentina. Ideally, if he goes to the Bigliest Most Peaceful Cup next year, he’ll study how to get about the venue locations – let’s avoid him being disoriented in New York” – James Humphries.

“Sources state that 1,024 players in the Turkish league have been prohibited due to suspected participation in a gambling controversy. It would be wonderful if that number could be increased to the same level of typical pedantry associated with Football Daily – that is, 1,057 readers. By my math, that’s about 33 more detail-oriented individuals. If I agree to be excluded from playing professionally in Turkey (hardly a difficult decision at my age and, um, skill level), are there 32 more folks willing to join in my search for symmetry?” – Mike Wilner.

“As a daily reader and Florida resident, can I proactively complain about the coming period of published letters about which highway one uses to get to various locations in your island nation? I mean, I was stuck in gridlock on I-4 at 2am on a Tuesday night driving through Orlando once, but that’s the complete account. There’s no rewarding moral to the tale. (I-4 connects Tampa on the Gulf Coast to Daytona on the Atlantic via Orlando/Walt Disney World, and can have congestion problems at any time)” – Rasteen Nowroozi.

“Apropos 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 co-workers and mates, I play a game of football each Friday afternoon. Our most experienced participant is approaching eighty, while the most junior are in their twenties. To ensure a positive atmosphere for everyone, we have a simple rule of thumb regarding the quality of player: you can be fast or skilled, but preferably not simultaneously. We periodically have players who violate this rule, but usually typically reduce them to our quality over time” – Lars Esbjerg.