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IS THERE REALLY A POSSIBILITY?

Unless you’ve missed 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 nasty that it would have been appropriate 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 illuminating interview 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 expertly placed to discuss this topic. “Don’t focus on the rejection and one day your luck is going to materialize,” he told a young player immediately prior to deploying said ninja move on his teammate, in doing so vividly showing the gulf between Premier League and amateur footballers he had been attempting to dispel.

Ndiaye joins a list of professional footballer to take things that little bit too far. Prime Michael Owen gleefully humiliating a young shot-stopper in front of a fuming Neville Southall is undoubtedly the prime example in this particular niche – but the one-time Reds forward is not alone in this. Both Christian Eriksen and Shinji Kagawa have made young children cry with a series of harsh skills, although it’s thought that the latter was at least motivated by the Japanese player’s social media apologetic post – “difficulty breeds resilience” – and the accompanying hashtag of #friendship.

Kagawa’s ex-BVB colleagues Lukasz Piszczek, Jakub Blaszczykowski and Nuri Sahin at least had the manners to lose their match against 100 children when the three competed during the interval of their last appearance for BVB. A Real Madrid XI that featured Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso were not so generous when they took on 109 Chinese kids in a like situation. 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 feature in the Premier League, a stark reality for aspiring footballers across the country.

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FEATURED STATEMENT

“Soccer carried me but it never deserted me because I never abandoned my dream. I went from place to place. The love of football drives you. I couldn’t always see where it was taking me. But today I have the solution” – head coach Veljko Paunovic pauses briefly from his preparations to share his journey.

FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS

“Pleasant to learn that Kevin Mac Allister isn’t going to be left home alone by Argentina. Ideally, if he participates in the major tournament next year, he’ll research how to get about the host cities – let’s avoid him being disoriented in New York” – James Humphries.

“Information shows that 1,024 players in the Turkish league have been banned due to alleged involvement in a gambling controversy. It would be amazing 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 estimation, that’s about 33 more detail-oriented individuals. If I volunteer to be banned from playing professionally in Turkey (not much of a loss at my age and, um, ability), are there 32 more folks willing to assist my effort for symmetry?” – Mike Wilner.

“As a daily reader and Florida resident, can I preemptively object about the upcoming week-plus of published letters about which highway one uses to get to various locations in your country? 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 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 traffic issues at any time)” – Rasteen Nowroozi.

“Regarding 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 invited him. Apparently he was an actor; he had a decent left foot. (Yes, Daniel Day-Lewis)” – Jason Steger.

“Together with some co-workers and mates, I play a game of football each Friday afternoon. Our most senior member is nearing eight decades, while the youngest are in their late-20s. To ensure a enjoyable experience for everyone, we have a simple rule of thumb regarding the ability standard: you can be quick or talented, but ideally not both. We periodically have players who violate this rule, but usually succeed in bringing them to our standard over time” – Lars Esbjerg.