🔗 Share this article

IS THERE REALLY A POSSIBILITY?

If you haven’t seen the clip of Iliman Ndiaye performing a reverse bouncing nutmeg at Everton’s training ground, it’s a good watch. Through performing a move so impressive that it would have suited perfectly at a Harlem Globetrotters friendly display, the skill immediately shut down what was meant to be a lighthearted kickabout to finish what had been – up to that point – an illuminating interview about how Sunday league footballers can earn a second chance after being dropped 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 arrive,” he advised a young player shortly before deploying said ninja move on his teammate, in doing so perfectly illustrating the gulf 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 happily embarrassing a 13-year-old goalkeeper in front of a smouldering Neville Southall is obviously the gold standard in this unique area – but the former Liverpool man is far from the only offender. Both Christian Eriksen and Shinji Kagawa have made young children cry with a series of brutal nutmegs, although it’s thought that the latter was at least motivated by the Japanese player’s social media regretful message – “difficulty breeds resilience” – and the accompanying hashtag 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 group played during the half-time break of their farewell game 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 comparable scenario. But coming full circle, it’s calculated that only 180 of the 1.5 million boys currently playing organized youth football in England will ever play in the Premier League, a sobering statistic for young players across the country.

BROADCAST ON MAJOR PLATFORM

Join Scott Murray from 19:45 Greenwich Mean Time for live international football action of England versus Serbia, while Luke McLaughlin will be on clockwatch duty for the remaining evening matches.

FEATURED STATEMENT

“Soccer carried me but it never left me because I never abandoned my dream. I went from place to place. The love of football carries you. I couldn’t always see where it was directing me. But today I have the solution” – Serbia coach Veljko Paunovic takes time out from his planning to discuss his path.

FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS

“Pleasant to learn that Kevin Mac Allister won’t be excluded by Argentina. With luck, if he participates in the international competition next year, he’ll read up on how to navigate the host cities – hopefully he won’t get confused in New York” – James Humphries.

“Reports indicate that 1,024 players in the Turkish league have been prohibited due to alleged involvement in a betting scandal. It would be wonderful if that number could be raised to the same level of typical pedantry associated with Football Daily – that is, 1,057 readers. By my math, that’s about 33 more perfectionists. If I volunteer to be banned from playing professionally in Turkey (not much of a loss at my age and, um, talent), are there 32 more folks willing to join in my search for harmony?” – Mike Wilner.

“As a frequent consumer and Florida resident, can I in advance protest about the coming period 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 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 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 known as ‘Danny’ turned up to play. I have no idea who invited him. Supposedly he was an actor; he had a decent left foot. (Yes, Daniel Day-Lewis)” – Jason Steger.

“Together with some colleagues and friends, I play a game of football each Friday afternoon. Our most senior member is pushing 80, while the least experienced are in their young adulthood. To ensure a positive atmosphere for everyone, we have a simple rule of thumb regarding the ability standard: you can be speedy or technical, but preferably not both. We periodically have players who disregard this principle, but usually succeed in bringing them to our standard over time” – Lars Esbjerg.