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IS THERE REALLY A POSSIBILITY?

If you haven’t seen the footage of Iliman Ndiaye performing a backwards bouncing trick at Everton’s training ground, you should check it out. By pulling off a move so impressive that it would have been appropriate at a Harlem Globetrotters friendly display, the skill immediately shut down what was meant to be a informal game to conclude what had been – up to that point – an informative discussion about how Sunday league footballers can earn a second chance after being dropped from professional academies.

Ndiaye, who played Sunday League football directly before being picked up by Sheffield United at 19, is ideally suited to discuss this topic. “Avoid dwelling on the rejection and one day your luck is going to arrive,” he advised a young player shortly before using said spectacular skill on his teammate, in doing so perfectly illustrating 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. Prime Michael Owen gleefully humiliating a 13-year-old goalkeeper in front of a fuming Neville Southall is clearly the benchmark in this particular niche – but the one-time Reds forward is just one of many culprits. Both Christian Eriksen and Shinji Kagawa have reduced toddlers to actual tears with a series of harsh skills, although it’s considered that the latter was at least driven by the Japanese player’s social media regretful message – “difficulty breeds resilience” – and the related tag of #friendship.

Kagawa’s former Dortmund teammates Lukasz Piszczek, Jakub Blaszczykowski and Nuri Sahin at least had the manners to be defeated against 100 children when the three lined up during the mid-game pause of their final match for BVB. A Real Madrid XI that contained Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso showed less mercy when they faced 109 Chinese kids in a similar experiment. But returning to the beginning, it’s calculated that only 180 of the 1.5 million boys currently playing organized youth football in England will ever play in the Premier League, a stark reality for toddlers and teenagers across the country.

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FEATURED STATEMENT

“Soccer carried me but it never deserted me because I never gave up on my goal. I went from place to place. The devotion to the game propels you. I couldn’t always see where it was leading me. But today I have the solution” – head coach Veljko Paunovic pauses briefly from his preparations to discuss his path.

FAN FEEDBACK

“Pleasant to learn that Kevin Mac Allister won’t be excluded by Argentina. Ideally, if he goes to the Bigliest Most Peaceful Cup next year, he’ll study how to travel around the tournament sites – let’s avoid him being disoriented in New York” – James Humphries.

“Sources state that 1,024 players in the Turkish league have been suspended due to alleged involvement in a betting scandal. It would be amazing if that number could be bumped up to the same level of typical pedantry associated with Football Daily – that is, 1,057 readers. By my math, that’s about 33 more detail-oriented individuals. If I agree to be excluded from playing professionally in Turkey (hardly a difficult decision at my age and, um, talent), are there 32 more folks willing to join in my search for balance?” – Mike Wilner.

“As a regular follower and Florida resident, can I in advance protest about the upcoming week-plus of published letters about which road one uses to get to various locations in your island nation? 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 links 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 recreational club, 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 least experienced are in their late-20s. To ensure a good time for everyone, we have a straightforward principle regarding the quality of player: you can be speedy or technical, 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.