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IS THERE REALLY A POSSIBILITY?

If you haven’t seen the footage of Iliman Ndiaye executing a backwards bouncing trick at Everton’s training ground, it’s a good watch. By pulling off a move so impressive that it would have suited perfectly at a Harlem Globetrotters exhibition match, the skill quickly concluded what was meant to be a casual practice to finish what had been – up to that point – an revealing conversation about how Sunday league footballers can secure a fresh start after being dropped from professional academies.

Ndiaye, who played Sunday League football directly before being picked up by Sheffield United at 19, is perfectly positioned to discuss this topic. “Don’t concentrate on the rejection and one day your luck is going to come through,” he told a young player just before using said impressive trick on his opponent, in doing so perfectly illustrating the difference between Premier League and amateur footballers he had been working to minimize.

Ndiaye isn’t the first professional footballer to take things that little bit too far. A younger Michael Owen happily embarrassing a young shot-stopper in front of a annoyed Neville Southall is undoubtedly the prime example in this specific category – but the one-time Reds forward is not alone in this. Both Christian Eriksen and Shinji Kagawa have reduced toddlers to actual tears with a series of merciless tricks, 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 ex-BVB colleagues Lukasz Piszczek, Jakub Blaszczykowski and Nuri Sahin at least had the good grace to lose their match against 100 children when the three competed during the interval of their final match for BVB. A Real Madrid XI that included Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso were more competitive when they took on 109 Chinese kids in a comparable scenario. But coming full circle, it’s estimated that only 180 of the 1.5 million boys currently playing organized youth football in England will ever appear in the Premier League, a sobering statistic for young players across the country.

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Follow Scott Murray from 7.45pm GMT for live international football action of England versus Serbia, while Luke McLaughlin will be monitoring the action for the remaining evening matches.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“The game guided me but it never left me because I never abandoned my dream. I went from team to team. The passion for soccer drives you. I couldn’t always see where it was taking me. But today I have the understanding” – Serbia coach Veljko Paunovic makes time from his planning to share his path.

FAN FEEDBACK

“Good to know that Kevin Mac Allister will be included by Argentina. Ideally, if he travels to the major tournament next year, he’ll study how to get about the tournament sites – wouldn’t want him to end up lost in New York” – James Humphries.

“Reports indicate that 1,024 players in the Turkish league have been prohibited due to suspected participation in a gambling controversy. It would be wonderful if that number could be increased 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 perfectionists. If I volunteer to be banned from playing professionally in Turkey (hardly a difficult decision at my age and, um, skill level), are there 32 more folks willing to assist my effort for symmetry?” – Mike Wilner.

“As a daily reader and Florida resident, can I preemptively object about the next several days of published letters about which highway one uses to get to various locations in your country? 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 satisfying lesson to the tale. (I-4 links 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 remember 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 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 oldest player is pushing 80, while the youngest are in their young adulthood. To ensure a enjoyable experience for everyone, we have a straightforward principle regarding the skill level: you can be fast or skilled, but preferably not simultaneously. We sometimes have players who disregard this principle, but usually typically reduce them to our quality over time” – Lars Esbjerg.