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YOU’RE TELLING US THERE’S A CHANCE?

Unless you’ve missed the clip of Iliman Ndiaye executing a unusual dribbling move at Everton’s training ground, it’s a good watch. By pulling off a move so spectacular that it would have suited perfectly at a Harlem Globetrotters show game, the skill immediately shut down what was meant to be a casual practice to conclude what had been – up to that point – an informative discussion about how amateur players can earn a second chance after being released by professional academies.

Ndiaye, who competed in amateur leagues directly before being recruited by Sheffield United at 19, is ideally suited to discuss this topic. “Don’t focus on the rejection and one day your luck is going to arrive,” he informed a young player shortly before deploying said impressive trick on his teammate, in doing so clearly demonstrating the gulf between Premier League and amateur footballers he had been trying to bridge.

Ndiaye isn’t the first 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 obviously the gold standard in this specific category – but the ex-Anfield star is just one of many culprits. Both Christian Eriksen and Shinji Kagawa have caused kids to weep with a series of harsh skills, although it’s considered that the latter was at least motivated 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 manners to lose their match against 100 children when the group competed during the mid-game pause of their final match for BVB. A Real Madrid XI that featured Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso showed less mercy when they played against 109 Chinese kids in a like situation. But returning to the beginning, it’s approximated 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 aspiring footballers across the country.

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FEATURED STATEMENT

“Soccer carried 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 drives you. I couldn’t always see where it was directing me. But today I have the answer” – head coach Veljko Paunovic takes time out from his preparations to share his career.

FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS

“Nice to hear that Kevin Mac Allister isn’t going to be left home alone by Argentina. Ideally, if he goes to the Bigliest Most Peaceful Cup next year, he’ll read up on how to travel around the host cities – let’s avoid him being disoriented in New York” – James Humphries.

“Reports indicate that 1,024 players in the Turkish league have been suspended due to potential connection in a betting scandal. 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 perfectionists. If I agree to be excluded from playing professionally in Turkey (not much of a loss at my age and, um, ability), are there 32 more folks willing to participate in my quest for symmetry?” – Mike Wilner.

“As a daily reader and Florida resident, can I in advance protest about the upcoming week-plus of published letters about which highway one uses to get to various locations in your island nation? 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 satisfying lesson 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.

“Regarding Wythenshawe FC, I recall many years ago playing for a Sunday, very social side, Turnpike Lane Hibs, on Clapham Common. One morning a bloke presented as ‘Danny’ turned up to play. I have no idea who recruited him. Supposedly he was an actor; he had a useful 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 oldest player is pushing 80, while the least experienced are in their young adulthood. To ensure a positive atmosphere for everyone, we have a basic guideline regarding the quality of player: you can be speedy or technical, but preferably not simultaneously. We periodically have players who disregard this principle, but usually typically reduce them to our quality over time” – Lars Esbjerg.