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YOU’RE TELLING US THERE’S A CHANCE?

If you haven’t seen the clip of Iliman Ndiaye pulling off a reverse bouncing nutmeg at Everton’s training ground, it’s a good watch. By pulling off a move so spectacular that it would have fit right in at a Harlem Globetrotters show game, the skill quickly concluded what was meant to be a lighthearted kickabout to finish what had been – up to that point – an illuminating interview about how amateur players can get another opportunity after being released by professional academies.

Ndiaye, who played Sunday League football directly before being picked up by Sheffield United at 19, is perfectly positioned to address this topic. “Don’t concentrate on the rejection and one day your luck is going to materialize,” he told a young player shortly before executing said impressive trick on his victim, in doing so vividly showing the gap between Premier League and amateur footballers he had been attempting to dispel.

Ndiaye isn’t the first professional footballer to push the boundaries. Prime Michael Owen cheerfully overwhelming a 13-year-old goalkeeper in front of a smouldering Neville Southall is obviously the gold standard in this specific category – but the one-time Reds forward is not alone in this. 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 inspired by the Japanese player’s social media regretful message – “difficulty breeds resilience” – and the accompanying hashtag of #friendship.

Kagawa’s former Dortmund teammates Lukasz Piszczek, Jakub Blaszczykowski and Nuri Sahin at least had the decency to lose their match against 100 children when the three lined up during the half-time break of their final match for BVB. A Real Madrid XI that featured Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso were not so generous when they took on 109 Chinese kids in a similar experiment. 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 harsh truth for young players across the country.

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DAILY HIGHLIGHT

“Football took me but it never deserted me because I never abandoned my dream. I went from location to location. The love of football drives you. I couldn’t always see where it was leading me. But today I have the solution” – head coach Veljko Paunovic pauses briefly from his preparations to discuss his journey.

FAN FEEDBACK

“Good to know that Kevin Mac Allister won’t be excluded by Argentina. Ideally, if he travels to the major tournament next year, he’ll research how to navigate the tournament sites – let’s avoid him being disoriented in New York” – James Humphries.

“Information shows that 1,024 players in the Turkish league have been prohibited due to suspected participation in a betting scandal. It would be wonderful if that number could be bumped up to the same level of characteristic precision associated with Football Daily – that is, 1,057 readers. By my estimation, that’s about 33 more pedants. 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 join in my search for harmony?” – Mike Wilner.

“As a frequent consumer and Florida resident, can I proactively complain about the coming period of published letters about which road one uses to get to various locations in your country? 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 satisfying lesson to the tale. (I-4 connects 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 casual team, 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 oldest player is nearing eight decades, while the most junior are in their twenties. To ensure a enjoyable experience for everyone, we have a basic guideline regarding the ability standard: you can be quick or talented, but preferably not simultaneously. We sometimes have players who violate this rule, but usually typically reduce them to our quality over time” – Lars Esbjerg.