🔗 Share this article Iliman Ndiaye, Globetrotters-Level Moves and Sobering Football Statistics YOU’RE TELLING US THERE’S A CHANCE? If you haven’t seen the clip of Iliman Ndiaye pulling off a reverse bouncing nutmeg at Everton’s training ground, it’s worth viewing. Through performing a move so nasty that it would have been appropriate at a Harlem Globetrotters exhibition match, the skill immediately shut down what was meant to be a casual practice to wrap up 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 signed by Sheffield United at 19, is ideally suited to discuss this topic. “Don’t concentrate on the rejection and one day your luck is going to materialize,” he advised a young player shortly before executing said impressive trick on his teammate, in doing so clearly demonstrating the difference between Premier League and amateur footballers he had been attempting to dispel. Ndiaye isn’t the first professional footballer to push the boundaries. Peak Michael Owen gleefully humiliating a teenage keeper in front of a smouldering Neville Southall is obviously the gold standard in this particular niche – but the one-time Reds forward is far from the only offender. Both Christian Eriksen and Shinji Kagawa have caused kids to weep with a series of merciless tricks, although it’s believed that the latter was at least inspired by the Japanese player’s social media regretful message – “difficulty breeds resilience” – and the related tag of #friendship. Kagawa’s previous Borussia partners Lukasz Piszczek, Jakub Blaszczykowski and Nuri Sahin at least had the good grace to lose their match against 100 children when the three lined up during the interval of their last appearance for BVB. A Real Madrid XI that included Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso showed less mercy when they faced 109 Chinese kids in a similar experiment. But coming full circle, it’s estimated that only 180 of the 1.5 million boys currently playing competitive youth leagues in England will ever feature in the Premier League, a sobering statistic for aspiring footballers across the country. STREAMING ON POPULAR SITE Join Scott Murray from evening UK time for real-time tournament updates of England versus Serbia, while Luke McLaughlin will be on clockwatch duty for the other games happening later. DAILY HIGHLIGHT “The game guided me but it never deserted me because I never stopped believing. I went from location to location. The passion for soccer carries you. I couldn’t always see where it was directing me. But today I have the solution” – Serbia coach Veljko Paunovic pauses briefly from his preparations to share his career. FAN FEEDBACK “Good to know that Kevin Mac Allister won’t be excluded by Argentina. With luck, if he goes to the international competition next year, he’ll study how to travel around the venue locations – hopefully he won’t get confused in New York” – James Humphries. “Information shows that 1,024 players in the Turkish league have been prohibited due to potential connection in a wagering issue. It would be fantastic if that number could be raised to the same level of typical pedantry associated with Football Daily – that is, 1,057 readers. By my math, that’s about 33 more perfectionists. If I offer to be suspended from playing professionally in Turkey (not much of a loss at my age and, um, skill level), are there 32 more folks willing to join in my search for balance?” – Mike Wilner. “As a daily reader and Florida resident, can I preemptively object about the coming period of published letters about which road one uses to get to various locations in your homeland? 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 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 delays at any time)” – Rasteen Nowroozi. “Concerning Wythenshawe FC, I remember many years ago playing for a Sunday, very casual team, Turnpike Lane Hibs, on Clapham Common. One morning a bloke known as ‘Danny’ turned up to play. I have no idea who brought him along. Reportedly 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 most senior member is approaching eighty, while the youngest are in their twenties. To ensure a enjoyable experience for everyone, we have a simple rule of thumb regarding the skill level: you can be speedy or technical, but ideally not both. We periodically have players who disregard this principle, but usually typically reduce them to our quality over time” – Lars Esbjerg.