🔗 Share this article

YOU’RE TELLING US THERE’S A CHANCE?

Should you have overlooked the footage of Iliman Ndiaye performing a unusual dribbling move at Everton’s training ground, you should check it out. Through performing a move so impressive that it would have fit right in at a Harlem Globetrotters show game, the skill instantly ended what was meant to be a casual practice to finish what had been – up to that point – an informative discussion about how non-professionals 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. “Avoid dwelling on the rejection and one day your luck is going to come through,” he informed a young player just before deploying said spectacular skill on his teammate, in doing so vividly showing the gap between Premier League and amateur footballers he had been working to minimize.

Ndiaye isn’t the first professional footballer to take things that little bit too far. A younger Michael Owen happily embarrassing a 13-year-old goalkeeper in front of a annoyed Neville Southall is clearly the benchmark in this particular niche – but the former Liverpool man is not alone in this. Both Christian Eriksen and Shinji Kagawa have made young children cry with a series of brutal nutmegs, although it’s considered that the latter was at least driven by the Japanese player’s social media apologetic post – “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 lose their match against 100 children when the three played during the half-time break of their farewell game for BVB. A Real Madrid XI that included Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso were more competitive when they played against 109 Chinese kids in a comparable scenario. But returning to the beginning, 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 stark reality for aspiring footballers across the country.

LIVE ON BIG WEBSITE

Follow Scott Murray from 19:45 Greenwich Mean Time for real-time tournament updates of England versus Serbia, while Luke McLaughlin will be on clockwatch duty for the other games happening later.

FEATURED STATEMENT

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

FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS

“Pleasant to learn that Kevin Mac Allister isn’t going to be left home alone by Argentina. Ideally, if he goes to the Bigliest Most Peaceful Cup next year, he’ll research how to navigate the tournament sites – let’s avoid him being disoriented in New York” – James Humphries.

“Sources state that 1,024 players in the Turkish league have been banned due to suspected participation in a wagering issue. It would be amazing 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 estimation, that’s about 33 more detail-oriented individuals. If I agree to be excluded from playing professionally in Turkey (not a huge sacrifice at my age and, um, talent), are there 32 more folks willing to assist my effort 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 caught in a traffic jam on I-4 at 2am on a Tuesday night driving through Orlando once, but that’s the complete account. There’s no rewarding moral to the tale. (I-4 joins Tampa on the Gulf Coast to Daytona on the Atlantic via Orlando/Walt Disney World, and can have delays at any time)” – Rasteen Nowroozi.

“Regarding Wythenshawe FC, I recollect 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. Reportedly he was an actor; he had a good left side. (Yes, Daniel Day-Lewis)” – Jason Steger.

“Together with some co-workers and mates, I play a game of football each Friday afternoon. Our oldest player is approaching eighty, while the most junior are in their young adulthood. To ensure a good time for everyone, we have a simple rule of thumb regarding the skill level: you can be quick or talented, but ideally not both. We occasionally have players who disregard this principle, but usually typically reduce them to our quality over time” – Lars Esbjerg.