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YOU’RE TELLING US THERE’S A CHANCE?

If you haven’t seen the video of Iliman Ndiaye performing a reverse bouncing nutmeg at Everton’s training ground, it’s a good watch. In executing a move so spectacular that it would have fit right in at a Harlem Globetrotters show game, the skill instantly ended what was meant to be a lighthearted kickabout to wrap up what had been – up to that point – an revealing conversation about how Sunday league footballers can earn a second chance after being let go from professional academies.

Ndiaye, who played Sunday League football directly before being signed by Sheffield United at 19, is perfectly positioned to address this topic. “Don’t focus on the rejection and one day your luck is going to come through,” he informed a young player shortly before deploying said impressive trick on his victim, in doing so perfectly illustrating the gulf between Premier League and amateur footballers he had been attempting to dispel.

Ndiaye joins a list of professional footballer to push the boundaries. A younger Michael Owen cheerfully overwhelming a 13-year-old goalkeeper in front of a annoyed Neville Southall is obviously the gold standard in this unique area – but the one-time Reds forward is far from the only offender. Both Christian Eriksen and Shinji Kagawa have made young children cry with a series of merciless tricks, although it’s thought 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 ex-BVB colleagues Lukasz Piszczek, Jakub Blaszczykowski and Nuri Sahin at least had the good grace to suffer a loss against 100 children when the group lined up during the half-time break of their final match for BVB. A Real Madrid XI that included Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso were not so generous when they took on 109 Chinese kids in a comparable scenario. But coming full circle, 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 sobering statistic for young players across the country.

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Tune in with 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 rest of the night’s action.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Football took me but it never left me because I never stopped believing. 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 solution” – national team manager Veljko Paunovic takes time out from his planning to discuss his career.

READER CORRESPONDENCE

“Pleasant to learn that Kevin Mac Allister will be included by Argentina. With luck, if he travels to the international competition next year, he’ll study how to navigate the venue locations – wouldn’t want him to end up lost in New York” – James Humphries.

“Information shows that 1,024 players in the Turkish league have been prohibited due to alleged involvement in a gambling controversy. It would be amazing if that number could be raised to the same level of characteristic precision 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 (hardly a difficult decision at my age and, um, talent), are there 32 more folks willing to participate in my quest for balance?” – Mike Wilner.

“As a frequent consumer and Florida resident, can I in advance protest about the coming period of published letters about which route one uses to get to various locations in your homeland? 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 whole story. 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 delays at any time)” – Rasteen Nowroozi.

“Concerning 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. 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 experienced participant is pushing 80, while the youngest are in their twenties. To ensure a enjoyable experience for everyone, we have a basic guideline regarding the skill level: you can be speedy or technical, but preferably not both. We sometimes have players who break this guideline, but usually manage to drag them down to our level over time” – Lars Esbjerg.