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IS THERE REALLY A POSSIBILITY?

Should you have overlooked the clip of Iliman Ndiaye executing a reverse bouncing nutmeg at Everton’s training ground, you should check it out. Through performing a move so impressive that it would have been appropriate at a Harlem Globetrotters show game, the skill immediately shut down what was meant to be a informal game to conclude what had been – up to that point – an revealing conversation about how Sunday league footballers can earn a second chance after being released by professional academies.

Ndiaye, who played Sunday League football directly before being signed by Sheffield United at 19, is ideally suited 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 using said impressive trick on his victim, in doing so clearly demonstrating the gap between Premier League and amateur footballers he had been working to minimize.

Ndiaye isn’t the first professional footballer to push the boundaries. A younger Michael Owen gleefully humiliating a young shot-stopper in front of a smouldering Neville Southall is obviously the gold standard in this particular niche – but the former Liverpool man is not alone in this. Both Christian Eriksen and Shinji Kagawa have reduced toddlers to actual tears with a series of harsh skills, although it’s thought that the latter was at least driven by the Japanese player’s social media disgrace caption – “difficulty breeds resilience” – and the associated label of #friendship.

Kagawa’s ex-BVB colleagues Lukasz Piszczek, Jakub Blaszczykowski and Nuri Sahin at least had the manners to suffer a loss against 100 children when the group competed during the mid-game pause of their farewell game for BVB. A Real Madrid XI that included Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso were not so generous when they played against 109 Chinese kids in a similar experiment. But back to the start, it’s estimated 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

“The game guided me but it never abandoned me because I never gave up on my goal. I went from place to place. The devotion to the game propels you. I couldn’t always see where it was taking me. But today I have the answer” – national team manager Veljko Paunovic makes time from his preparations to reflect on his path.

FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS

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

“Reports indicate that 1,024 players in the Turkish league have been banned due to suspected participation in a gambling controversy. 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 perfectionists. If I volunteer to be banned from playing professionally in Turkey (not a huge sacrifice at my age and, um, ability), are there 32 more folks willing to join in my search for harmony?” – Mike Wilner.

“As a daily reader 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 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 entire tale. There’s no meaningful conclusion 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.

“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 introduced as ‘Danny’ turned up to play. I have no idea who invited him. 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 most senior member is pushing 80, while the youngest are in their young adulthood. To ensure a positive atmosphere for everyone, we have a simple rule of thumb regarding the skill level: you can be speedy or technical, but ideally not both. We periodically have players who violate this rule, but usually manage to drag them down to our level over time” – Lars Esbjerg.