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YOU’RE TELLING US THERE’S A CHANCE?

If you haven’t seen the footage of Iliman Ndiaye performing a reverse bouncing nutmeg at Everton’s training ground, it’s a good watch. By pulling off a move so nasty that it would have suited perfectly at a Harlem Globetrotters friendly display, the skill instantly ended what was meant to be a casual practice to conclude what had been – up to that point – an revealing conversation about how non-professionals can secure a fresh start after being released by professional academies.

Ndiaye, who featured in non-league games directly before being picked up by Sheffield United at 19, is ideally suited to address this topic. “Don’t concentrate on the rejection and one day your luck is going to materialize,” he advised a young player immediately prior to executing said spectacular skill on his opponent, in doing so clearly demonstrating the gap between Premier League and amateur footballers he had been trying to bridge.

Ndiaye is far from the only professional footballer to push the boundaries. A younger Michael Owen gleefully humiliating a teenage keeper in front of a annoyed Neville Southall is obviously the gold standard in this unique area – but the former Liverpool man 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 motivated by the Japanese player’s social media disgrace caption – “difficulty breeds resilience” – and the associated label of #friendship.

Kagawa’s former Dortmund teammates Lukasz Piszczek, Jakub Blaszczykowski and Nuri Sahin at least had the decency to suffer a loss against 100 children when the three competed during the half-time break of their final match for BVB. A Real Madrid XI that featured Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso were more competitive when they played against 109 Chinese kids in a comparable scenario. But coming full circle, it’s estimated that only 180 of the 1.5 million boys currently playing structured junior soccer in England will ever appear in the Premier League, a sobering statistic for young players across the country.

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DAILY HIGHLIGHT

“Football took me but it never abandoned me because I never stopped believing. I went from place to place. The passion for soccer propels you. I couldn’t always see where it was leading me. But today I have the understanding” – national team manager Veljko Paunovic pauses briefly from his preparations to discuss his journey.

FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS

“Nice to hear that Kevin Mac Allister won’t be excluded by Argentina. Hopefully, if he goes to the major tournament next year, he’ll research how to get about the tournament sites – wouldn’t want him to end up lost in New York” – James Humphries.

“Information shows that 1,024 players in the Turkish league have been suspended due to alleged involvement in a wagering issue. It would be fantastic if that number could be raised to the same level of usual detail-orientation associated with Football Daily – that is, 1,057 readers. By my calculation, that’s about 33 more perfectionists. If I volunteer to be banned from playing professionally in Turkey (not much of a loss at my age and, um, ability), are there 32 more folks willing to assist my effort for balance?” – Mike Wilner.

“As a daily reader and Florida resident, can I preemptively object 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 stuck in gridlock on I-4 at 2am on a Tuesday night driving through Orlando once, but that’s the entire tale. There’s no meaningful conclusion to the tale. (I-4 joins 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.

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

“Together with some colleagues and friends, I play a game of football each Friday afternoon. Our oldest player is approaching eighty, while the youngest are in their young adulthood. To ensure a good time for everyone, we have a simple rule of thumb regarding the quality of player: you can be quick or talented, but preferably not simultaneously. We occasionally have players who disregard this principle, but usually succeed in bringing them to our standard over time” – Lars Esbjerg.