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IS THERE REALLY A POSSIBILITY?

Should you have overlooked the video of Iliman Ndiaye pulling off a backwards bouncing trick at Everton’s training ground, it’s a good watch. Through performing a move so nasty that it would have fit right in at a Harlem Globetrotters exhibition match, the skill instantly ended what was meant to be a informal game to conclude what had been – up to that point – an revealing conversation about how Sunday league footballers can get another opportunity after being released by professional academies.

Ndiaye, who featured in non-league games directly before being recruited by Sheffield United at 19, is expertly placed to speak on this topic. “Don’t focus on the rejection and one day your luck is going to materialize,” he told a young player immediately prior to executing said impressive trick on his victim, in doing so vividly showing the gulf between Premier League and amateur footballers he had been attempting to dispel.

Ndiaye joins a list of professional footballer to take things that little bit too far. Peak Michael Owen cheerfully overwhelming a teenage keeper in front of a annoyed Neville Southall is clearly the benchmark in this unique area – but the ex-Anfield star is just one of many culprits. Both Christian Eriksen and Shinji Kagawa have reduced toddlers to actual tears with a series of brutal nutmegs, although it’s believed that the latter was at least inspired by the Japanese player’s social media disgrace caption – “difficulty breeds resilience” – and the accompanying hashtag of #friendship.

Kagawa’s ex-BVB colleagues Lukasz Piszczek, Jakub Blaszczykowski and Nuri Sahin at least had the good grace to be defeated against 100 children when the group played during the interval of their last appearance for BVB. A Real Madrid XI that featured 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 estimated that only 180 of the 1.5 million boys currently playing organized youth football in England will ever feature in the Premier League, a stark reality for toddlers and teenagers across the country.

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DAILY HIGHLIGHT

“The game guided me but it never abandoned me because I never gave up on my goal. I went from location to location. The devotion to the game drives you. I couldn’t always see where it was leading me. But today I have the answer” – national team manager Veljko Paunovic makes time from his planning to discuss his career.

FAN FEEDBACK

“Nice to hear that Kevin Mac Allister isn’t going to be left home alone by Argentina. Ideally, if he travels to the international competition next year, he’ll read up on how to navigate 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 banned due to alleged involvement in a betting scandal. It would be wonderful if that number could be increased to the same level of characteristic precision associated with Football Daily – that is, 1,057 readers. By my calculation, 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 balance?” – Mike Wilner.

“As a daily reader and Florida resident, can I proactively complain 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 delayed in congestion on I-4 at 2am on a Tuesday night driving through Orlando once, but that’s the complete account. 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 congestion problems 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 known 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 colleagues and friends, I play a game of football each Friday afternoon. Our most senior member is approaching eighty, while the most junior are in their late-20s. To ensure a positive atmosphere for everyone, we have a straightforward principle regarding the skill level: you can be speedy or technical, but preferably not simultaneously. We sometimes have players who violate this rule, but usually typically reduce them to our quality over time” – Lars Esbjerg.