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IS THERE REALLY A POSSIBILITY?

If you haven’t seen the clip of Iliman Ndiaye pulling off a backwards bouncing trick at Everton’s training ground, you should check it out. Through performing a move so impressive that it would have been appropriate at a Harlem Globetrotters exhibition match, 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 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 expertly placed to discuss this topic. “Don’t concentrate on the rejection and one day your luck is going to materialize,” he informed a young player shortly before deploying said ninja move on his opponent, in doing so perfectly illustrating the difference between Premier League and amateur footballers he had been trying to bridge.

Ndiaye joins a list of professional footballer to go slightly overboard. A younger Michael Owen happily embarrassing a teenage keeper in front of a annoyed Neville Southall is obviously the gold standard in this unique area – but the ex-Anfield star is far from the only offender. Both Christian Eriksen and Shinji Kagawa have reduced toddlers to actual tears with a series of brutal nutmegs, although it’s considered that the latter was at least driven by the Japanese player’s social media regretful message – “setbacks build character” – and the accompanying hashtag 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 trio competed during the half-time break of their final match for BVB. A Real Madrid XI that contained Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso were not so generous when they took on 109 Chinese kids in a like situation. But back to the start, it’s approximated that only 180 of the 1.5 million boys currently playing structured junior soccer in England will ever appear in the Premier League, a stark reality for toddlers and teenagers across the country.

BROADCAST ON MAJOR PLATFORM

Follow Scott Murray from 19:45 Greenwich Mean Time for live international football action of England versus Serbia, while Luke McLaughlin will be monitoring the action for the rest of the night’s action.

FEATURED STATEMENT

“Soccer carried me but it never abandoned me because I never abandoned my dream. I went from location to location. The passion for soccer carries you. I couldn’t always see where it was taking me. But today I have the understanding” – head coach Veljko Paunovic pauses briefly from his preparations to discuss his career.

FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS

“Pleasant to learn that Kevin Mac Allister will be included by Argentina. Ideally, if he participates in the international competition next year, he’ll read up on how to get about the venue locations – let’s avoid him being disoriented in New York” – James Humphries.

“Reports indicate that 1,024 players in the Turkish league have been prohibited due to alleged involvement in a wagering issue. It would be amazing if that number could be raised to the same level of characteristic precision associated with Football Daily – that is, 1,057 readers. By my math, that’s about 33 more pedants. If I volunteer to be banned from playing professionally in Turkey (not a huge sacrifice at my age and, um, talent), are there 32 more folks willing to assist my effort for symmetry?” – Mike Wilner.

“As a daily reader and Florida resident, can I in advance protest 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.

“Regarding Wythenshawe FC, I recollect 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 invited 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 nearing eight decades, while the least experienced are in their twenties. To ensure a enjoyable experience for everyone, we have a straightforward principle regarding the ability standard: you can be speedy or technical, but preferably not both. We sometimes have players who violate this rule, but usually manage to drag them down to our level over time” – Lars Esbjerg.