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COULD IT ACTUALLY HAPPEN?

Should you have overlooked the footage of Iliman Ndiaye pulling off a reverse bouncing nutmeg at Everton’s training ground, it’s worth viewing. By pulling off a move so nasty that it would have fit right in 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 Sunday league footballers can get another opportunity after being dropped from professional academies.

Ndiaye, who competed in amateur leagues directly before being recruited by Sheffield United at 19, is expertly placed to discuss this topic. “Avoid dwelling on the rejection and one day your luck is going to arrive,” he informed a young player immediately prior to executing said spectacular skill on his victim, in doing so perfectly illustrating the gap between Premier League and amateur footballers he had been working to minimize.

Ndiaye isn’t the first professional footballer to go slightly overboard. A younger Michael Owen cheerfully overwhelming a teenage keeper in front of a smouldering Neville Southall is undoubtedly the prime example in this particular niche – but the ex-Anfield star is far from the only offender. Both Christian Eriksen and Shinji Kagawa have caused kids to weep with a series of merciless tricks, although it’s believed that the latter was at least inspired by the Japanese player’s social media disgrace caption – “this frustration makes a person stronger” – and the related tag of #friendship.

Kagawa’s previous Borussia partners Lukasz Piszczek, Jakub Blaszczykowski and Nuri Sahin at least had the decency to be defeated against 100 children when the trio played during the mid-game pause of their last appearance for BVB. A Real Madrid XI that featured Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso were more competitive when they faced 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 organized youth football in England will ever feature in the Premier League, a harsh truth for young players across the country.

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FEATURED STATEMENT

“Football took me but it never deserted me because I never gave up on my goal. I went from team to team. The passion for soccer carries you. I couldn’t always see where it was directing me. But today I have the understanding” – head coach Veljko Paunovic makes time from his preparations to reflect on his career.

READER CORRESPONDENCE

“Good to know that Kevin Mac Allister won’t be excluded by Argentina. Hopefully, if he goes to the major tournament next year, he’ll read up on how to travel around the tournament sites – wouldn’t want him to end up lost in New York” – James Humphries.

“Sources state that 1,024 players in the Turkish league have been banned due to potential connection 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 calculation, that’s about 33 more pedants. If I offer to be suspended from playing professionally in Turkey (not a huge sacrifice at my age and, um, talent), are there 32 more folks willing to join in my search for symmetry?” – 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 homeland? 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 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.

“Apropos Wythenshawe FC, I remember many years ago playing for a Sunday, very casual team, Turnpike Lane Hibs, on Clapham Common. One morning a bloke presented as ‘Danny’ turned up to play. I have no idea who invited him. Reportedly 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 approaching eighty, while the most junior are in their late-20s. To ensure a good time for everyone, we have a simple rule of thumb regarding the quality of player: you can be speedy or technical, but ideally not both. We periodically have players who violate this rule, but usually succeed in bringing them to our standard over time” – Lars Esbjerg.