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COULD IT ACTUALLY HAPPEN?

Unless you’ve missed the clip of Iliman Ndiaye pulling off a reverse bouncing nutmeg at Everton’s training ground, it’s a good watch. Through performing a move so spectacular that it would have been appropriate at a Harlem Globetrotters friendly display, the skill instantly ended what was meant to be a casual practice to conclude what had been – up to that point – an illuminating interview about how Sunday league footballers can secure a fresh start after being released by professional academies.

Ndiaye, who competed in amateur leagues directly before being picked up by Sheffield United at 19, is expertly placed to speak on this topic. “Avoid dwelling on the rejection and one day your luck is going to materialize,” he advised a young player immediately prior to executing said spectacular skill on his victim, in doing so clearly demonstrating the difference between Premier League and amateur footballers he had been working to minimize.

Ndiaye is far from the only professional footballer to push the boundaries. A younger Michael Owen happily embarrassing a teenage keeper in front of a fuming Neville Southall is obviously the gold standard in this specific category – but the one-time Reds forward is far from the only offender. Both Christian Eriksen and Shinji Kagawa have caused kids to weep with a series of merciless tricks, although it’s considered that the latter was at least driven by the Japanese player’s social media disgrace caption – “this frustration makes a person stronger” – and the related tag of #friendship.

Kagawa’s ex-BVB colleagues Lukasz Piszczek, Jakub Blaszczykowski and Nuri Sahin at least had the decency to lose their match against 100 children when the three lined up during the interval of their final match for BVB. A Real Madrid XI that featured Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso were more competitive when they faced 109 Chinese kids in a similar experiment. But returning to the beginning, it’s approximated that only 180 of the 1.5 million boys currently playing competitive youth leagues in England will ever appear in the Premier League, a stark reality for toddlers and teenagers across the country.

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Tune in with Scott Murray from evening UK time for hot Geopolitics World Cup qualifying coverage of England versus Serbia, while Luke McLaughlin will be tracking events for the remaining evening matches.

DAILY HIGHLIGHT

“Football took me but it never deserted me because I never stopped believing. I went from team to team. The passion for soccer propels you. I couldn’t always see where it was leading me. But today I have the understanding” – national team manager Veljko Paunovic makes time from his preparations to discuss his journey.

FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS

“Good to know that Kevin Mac Allister won’t be excluded by Argentina. Ideally, if he participates in the international competition next year, he’ll read up on how to get about the host cities – 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 potential connection 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 math, that’s about 33 more detail-oriented individuals. If I offer to be suspended 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 harmony?” – Mike Wilner.

“As a frequent consumer and Florida resident, can I in advance protest about the next several days of published letters about which road one uses to get to various locations in your homeland? I mean, I was stuck in gridlock 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 traffic issues at any time)” – Rasteen Nowroozi.

“Regarding Wythenshawe FC, I remember many years ago playing for a Sunday, very social side, Turnpike Lane Hibs, on Clapham Common. One morning a bloke introduced as ‘Danny’ turned up to play. I have no idea who brought him along. Supposedly he was an actor; he had a useful left foot. (Yes, Daniel Day-Lewis)” – Jason Steger.

“Together with some colleagues and friends, I play a game of football each Friday afternoon. Our oldest player is pushing 80, while the youngest are in their young adulthood. To ensure a enjoyable experience for everyone, we have a basic guideline regarding the skill level: you can be quick or talented, but preferably not both. We periodically have players who disregard this principle, but usually succeed in bringing them to our standard over time” – Lars Esbjerg.