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YOU’RE TELLING US THERE’S A CHANCE?

Should you have overlooked the clip of Iliman Ndiaye performing a reverse bouncing nutmeg at Everton’s training ground, it’s a good watch. Through performing a move so impressive that it would have fit right in at a Harlem Globetrotters show game, the skill immediately shut down what was meant to be a casual practice to wrap up what had been – up to that point – an informative discussion about how non-professionals can secure a fresh start after being dropped from professional academies.

Ndiaye, who featured in non-league games directly before being recruited by Sheffield United at 19, is ideally suited to speak on this topic. “Don’t focus on the rejection and one day your luck is going to arrive,” he informed a young player just before executing said spectacular skill on his opponent, in doing so perfectly illustrating the gap between Premier League and amateur footballers he had been trying to bridge.

Ndiaye is far from the only professional footballer to push the boundaries. 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 far from the only offender. Both Christian Eriksen and Shinji Kagawa have caused kids to weep with a series of brutal nutmegs, although it’s thought that the latter was at least motivated by the Japanese player’s social media disgrace caption – “difficulty breeds resilience” – and the associated label of #friendship.

Kagawa’s former Dortmund teammates Lukasz Piszczek, Jakub Blaszczykowski and Nuri Sahin at least had the good grace to be defeated against 100 children when the trio lined up during the half-time break of their last appearance for BVB. A Real Madrid XI that contained Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso were more competitive when they took on 109 Chinese kids in a comparable scenario. 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 harsh truth for aspiring footballers across the country.

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Follow Scott Murray from 19:45 Greenwich Mean Time for hot Geopolitics World Cup qualifying coverage of England versus Serbia, while Luke McLaughlin will be monitoring the action for the rest of the night’s action.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Soccer carried me but it never left me because I never stopped believing. I went from place to place. The passion for soccer drives you. I couldn’t always see where it was taking me. But today I have the answer” – head coach Veljko Paunovic takes time out from his planning to discuss his career.

FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS

“Nice to hear that Kevin Mac Allister won’t be excluded by Argentina. Ideally, if he participates in the Bigliest Most Peaceful Cup next year, he’ll study how to get about the tournament sites – hopefully he won’t get confused in New York” – James Humphries.

“Reports indicate that 1,024 players in the Turkish league have been suspended due to suspected participation in a betting scandal. It would be amazing if that number could be bumped up to the same level of usual detail-orientation associated with Football Daily – that is, 1,057 readers. By my estimation, 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, talent), are there 32 more folks willing to assist my effort for harmony?” – Mike Wilner.

“As a frequent consumer and Florida resident, can I proactively complain 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 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.

“Apropos Wythenshawe FC, I recollect many years ago playing for a Sunday, very casual team, 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. Apparently he was an actor; he had a good left side. (Yes, Daniel Day-Lewis)” – Jason Steger.

“Together with some colleagues and friends, I play a game of football each Friday afternoon. Our most experienced participant is nearing eight decades, while the most junior are in their late-20s. To ensure a good time for everyone, we have a simple rule of thumb regarding the skill level: you can be quick or talented, but preferably not both. We sometimes have players who break this guideline, but usually typically reduce them to our quality over time” – Lars Esbjerg.