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COULD IT ACTUALLY HAPPEN?

If you haven’t seen the clip of Iliman Ndiaye performing a unusual dribbling move at Everton’s training ground, you should check it out. By pulling off a move so spectacular that it would have been appropriate at a Harlem Globetrotters friendly display, the skill immediately shut down what was meant to be a informal game to conclude what had been – up to that point – an illuminating interview about how Sunday league footballers can secure a fresh start after being released by professional academies.

Ndiaye, who competed in amateur leagues 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 come through,” he advised a young player immediately prior to executing said spectacular skill on his opponent, in doing so vividly showing the gap between Premier League and amateur footballers he had been trying to bridge.

Ndiaye isn’t the first professional footballer to take things that little bit too far. A younger Michael Owen happily embarrassing a young shot-stopper in front of a smouldering Neville Southall is clearly the benchmark in this unique area – but the former Liverpool man is not alone in this. Both Christian Eriksen and Shinji Kagawa have reduced toddlers to actual tears with a series of merciless tricks, although it’s considered that the latter was at least inspired by the Japanese player’s social media regretful message – “difficulty breeds resilience” – and the related tag 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 played during the half-time break of their final match for BVB. A Real Madrid XI that contained Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso showed less mercy when they took on 109 Chinese kids in a like situation. But coming full circle, it’s approximated that only 180 of the 1.5 million boys currently playing organized youth football in England will ever feature in the Premier League, a stark reality for toddlers and teenagers across the country.

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FEATURED STATEMENT

“Soccer carried me but it never deserted me because I never gave up on my goal. I went from team to team. The love of football drives you. I couldn’t always see where it was taking me. But today I have the answer” – head coach Veljko Paunovic takes time out from his planning to reflect on his career.

FAN FEEDBACK

“Nice to hear that Kevin Mac Allister will be included by Argentina. Ideally, if he participates in the international competition next year, he’ll study how to navigate the venue locations – hopefully he won’t get confused in New York” – James Humphries.

“Sources state that 1,024 players in the Turkish league have been prohibited due to alleged involvement in a wagering issue. It would be wonderful if that number could be increased 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 detail-oriented individuals. If I offer to be suspended 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 balance?” – Mike Wilner.

“As a frequent consumer and Florida resident, can I proactively complain about the next several days of published letters about which road one uses to get to various locations in your homeland? I mean, I was delayed in congestion on I-4 at 2am on a Tuesday night driving through Orlando once, but that’s the entire tale. There’s no rewarding moral to the tale. (I-4 links 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 recall many years ago playing for a Sunday, very social side, Turnpike Lane Hibs, on Clapham Common. One morning a bloke presented as ‘Danny’ turned up to play. I have no idea who recruited him. Reportedly 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 pushing 80, while the least experienced are in their twenties. To ensure a positive atmosphere for everyone, we have a basic guideline regarding the ability standard: you can be quick or talented, but preferably not simultaneously. We occasionally have players who violate this rule, but usually manage to drag them down to our level over time” – Lars Esbjerg.