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IS THERE REALLY A POSSIBILITY?

Should you have overlooked the footage of Iliman Ndiaye executing a unusual dribbling move at Everton’s training ground, it’s a good watch. Through performing a move so spectacular that it would have fit right in at a Harlem Globetrotters show game, the skill quickly concluded what was meant to be a lighthearted kickabout to finish 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 speak on this topic. “Don’t concentrate on the rejection and one day your luck is going to come through,” he advised a young player immediately prior to executing said ninja move on his victim, in doing so vividly showing the gap between Premier League and amateur footballers he had been attempting to dispel.

Ndiaye isn’t the first professional footballer to go slightly overboard. Prime Michael Owen gleefully humiliating a teenage keeper in front of a fuming Neville Southall is obviously the gold standard in this specific category – 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 believed 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 ex-BVB colleagues Lukasz Piszczek, Jakub Blaszczykowski and Nuri Sahin at least had the decency to suffer a loss 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 faced 109 Chinese kids in a like situation. But returning to the beginning, it’s calculated that only 180 of the 1.5 million boys currently playing structured junior soccer in England will ever appear in the Premier League, a harsh truth for toddlers and teenagers across the country.

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DAILY HIGHLIGHT

“Football took me but it never deserted me because I never abandoned my dream. I went from location to location. The love of football carries you. I couldn’t always see where it was taking me. But today I have the answer” – national team manager Veljko Paunovic pauses briefly from his training to share his journey.

FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS

“Good to know that Kevin Mac Allister won’t be excluded by Argentina. Hopefully, if he travels to the major tournament next year, he’ll read up on how to get about the venue locations – hopefully he won’t get confused in New York” – James Humphries.

“Sources state that 1,024 players in the Turkish league have been banned due to alleged involvement in a gambling controversy. It would be fantastic if that number could be increased to the same level of typical pedantry associated with Football Daily – that is, 1,057 readers. By my calculation, that’s about 33 more detail-oriented individuals. If I offer to be suspended from playing professionally in Turkey (hardly a difficult decision at my age and, um, ability), are there 32 more folks willing to assist my effort for symmetry?” – 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 island nation? I mean, I was delayed in congestion on I-4 at 2am on a Tuesday night driving through Orlando once, but that’s the whole story. There’s no rewarding moral to the tale. (I-4 links 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 remember many years ago playing for a Sunday, very recreational club, Turnpike Lane Hibs, on Clapham Common. One morning a bloke presented as ‘Danny’ turned up to play. I have no idea who recruited 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 experienced participant is pushing 80, while the most junior 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 simultaneously. We sometimes have players who break this guideline, but usually manage to drag them down to our level over time” – Lars Esbjerg.