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COULD IT ACTUALLY HAPPEN?

Should you have overlooked the video of Iliman Ndiaye executing a backwards bouncing trick at Everton’s training ground, it’s a good watch. In executing a move so impressive that it would have been appropriate at a Harlem Globetrotters friendly display, the skill immediately shut down what was meant to be a lighthearted kickabout to wrap up what had been – up to that point – an revealing conversation about how amateur players can earn a second chance after being released by professional academies.

Ndiaye, who featured in non-league games directly before being signed by Sheffield United at 19, is expertly placed to discuss 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 deploying said spectacular skill on his victim, in doing so vividly showing the gulf between Premier League and amateur footballers he had been trying to bridge.

Ndiaye isn’t the first professional footballer to go slightly overboard. Prime Michael Owen cheerfully overwhelming a teenage keeper in front of a annoyed Neville Southall is clearly the benchmark in this unique area – but the one-time Reds forward is far from the only offender. Both Christian Eriksen and Shinji Kagawa have reduced toddlers to actual tears with a series of brutal nutmegs, although it’s believed that the latter was at least motivated by the Japanese player’s social media disgrace caption – “setbacks build character” – and the related tag 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 trio lined up during the mid-game pause of their last appearance for BVB. A Real Madrid XI that contained Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso were not so generous when they played against 109 Chinese kids in a comparable scenario. But back to the start, 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 toddlers and teenagers across the country.

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DAILY HIGHLIGHT

“The game guided me but it never left 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 leading me. But today I have the answer” – national team manager Veljko Paunovic pauses briefly from his training to share his career.

READER CORRESPONDENCE

“Good to know that Kevin Mac Allister won’t be excluded by Argentina. With luck, if he travels to the international competition next year, he’ll research how to travel around the venue locations – let’s avoid him being disoriented in New York” – James Humphries.

“Reports indicate 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 bumped up 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 volunteer to be banned from playing professionally in Turkey (not a huge sacrifice at my age and, um, talent), are there 32 more folks willing to participate in my quest for balance?” – Mike Wilner.

“As a regular follower and Florida resident, can I in advance protest about the next several days of published letters about which highway 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 complete account. There’s no meaningful conclusion to the tale. (I-4 links Tampa on the Gulf Coast to Daytona on the Atlantic via Orlando/Walt Disney World, and can have delays at any time)” – Rasteen Nowroozi.

“Concerning Wythenshawe FC, I recall 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 brought him along. Apparently 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 oldest player is nearing eight decades, while the most junior are in their twenties. To ensure a good time for everyone, we have a simple rule of thumb regarding the quality of player: you can be fast or skilled, but preferably not simultaneously. We periodically have players who break this guideline, but usually succeed in bringing them to our standard over time” – Lars Esbjerg.