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COULD IT ACTUALLY HAPPEN?

If you haven’t seen the video of Iliman Ndiaye executing a unusual dribbling move at Everton’s training ground, it’s worth viewing. By pulling off a move so impressive that it would have suited perfectly at a Harlem Globetrotters show game, the skill quickly concluded what was meant to be a casual practice to finish what had been – up to that point – an revealing conversation about how Sunday league footballers can earn a second chance 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 address this topic. “Don’t concentrate on the rejection and one day your luck is going to come through,” he told a young player just before deploying said impressive trick on his victim, in doing so perfectly illustrating the gap between Premier League and amateur footballers he had been trying to bridge.

Ndiaye is far from the only professional footballer to go slightly overboard. A younger Michael Owen cheerfully overwhelming a teenage keeper in front of a fuming Neville Southall is obviously the gold standard in this specific category – 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 harsh skills, although it’s believed that the latter was at least inspired by the Japanese player’s social media regretful message – “this frustration makes a person stronger” – and the accompanying hashtag of #friendship.

Kagawa’s previous Borussia partners Lukasz Piszczek, Jakub Blaszczykowski and Nuri Sahin at least had the manners to be defeated against 100 children when the three lined up during the mid-game pause of their final match for BVB. A Real Madrid XI that included Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso showed less mercy when they faced 109 Chinese kids in a similar experiment. But back to the start, it’s approximated that only 180 of the 1.5 million boys currently playing competitive youth leagues 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 abandoned me because I never stopped believing. I went from location to location. The devotion to the game drives you. I couldn’t always see where it was taking me. But today I have the understanding” – national team manager Veljko Paunovic makes time from his preparations to discuss his path.

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“Good to know that Kevin Mac Allister isn’t going to be left home alone by Argentina. Hopefully, if he goes to the Bigliest Most Peaceful Cup next year, he’ll read up on how to travel around the venue locations – hopefully he won’t get confused in New York” – James Humphries.

“Information shows 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 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, ability), are there 32 more folks willing to join in my search for balance?” – Mike Wilner.

“As a regular follower and Florida resident, can I proactively complain about the upcoming week-plus 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 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.

“Concerning Wythenshawe FC, I recollect many years ago playing for a Sunday, very recreational club, Turnpike Lane Hibs, on Clapham Common. One morning a bloke presented as ‘Danny’ turned up to play. I have no idea who brought him along. Supposedly he was an actor; he had a decent left foot. (Yes, Daniel Day-Lewis)” – Jason Steger.

“Together with some associates and companions, I play a game of football each Friday afternoon. Our most senior member is pushing 80, while the least experienced are in their twenties. To ensure a good time for everyone, we have a basic guideline regarding the quality of player: you can be quick or talented, but ideally not both. We sometimes have players who disregard this principle, but usually succeed in bringing them to our standard over time” – Lars Esbjerg.