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COULD IT ACTUALLY HAPPEN?

Unless you’ve missed the video of Iliman Ndiaye executing a backwards bouncing trick at Everton’s training ground, you should check it out. Through performing a move so nasty that it would have suited perfectly at a Harlem Globetrotters show game, the skill quickly concluded what was meant to be a informal game to finish what had been – up to that point – an informative discussion about how amateur players can secure a fresh start after being let go from professional academies.

Ndiaye, who featured in non-league games directly before being recruited by Sheffield United at 19, is perfectly positioned to speak on this topic. “Avoid dwelling on the rejection and one day your luck is going to come through,” he told a young player shortly before deploying said impressive trick on his teammate, in doing so vividly showing the gap between Premier League and amateur footballers he had been trying to bridge.

Ndiaye is far from the only professional footballer to go slightly overboard. Peak Michael Owen gleefully humiliating a 13-year-old goalkeeper in front of a fuming Neville Southall is clearly the benchmark in this unique area – but the ex-Anfield star is not alone in this. Both Christian Eriksen and Shinji Kagawa have made young children cry with a series of merciless tricks, although it’s thought that the latter was at least motivated by the Japanese player’s social media disgrace caption – “setbacks build character” – and the associated label of #friendship.

Kagawa’s former Dortmund teammates Lukasz Piszczek, Jakub Blaszczykowski and Nuri Sahin at least had the decency to be defeated against 100 children when the three played during the mid-game pause of their farewell game 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 back to the start, it’s calculated that only 180 of the 1.5 million boys currently playing competitive youth leagues in England will ever appear in the Premier League, a sobering statistic for young players across the country.

BROADCAST ON MAJOR PLATFORM

Join 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 other games happening later.

FEATURED STATEMENT

“Soccer carried me but it never deserted me because I never stopped believing. I went from team to team. The passion for soccer carries you. I couldn’t always see where it was leading me. But today I have the solution” – Serbia coach Veljko Paunovic takes time out from his planning to discuss his path.

READER CORRESPONDENCE

“Good to know that Kevin Mac Allister isn’t going to be left home alone by Argentina. With luck, if he travels to the Bigliest Most Peaceful Cup next year, he’ll read up on how to get about the venue locations – hopefully he won’t get confused in New York” – James Humphries.

“Reports indicate that 1,024 players in the Turkish league have been prohibited due to suspected participation in a betting scandal. It would be fantastic if that number could be increased 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 agree to be excluded 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 balance?” – Mike Wilner.

“As a regular follower and Florida resident, can I preemptively object about the coming period of published letters about which route one uses to get to various locations in your homeland? I mean, I was delayed in congestion on I-4 at 2am on a Tuesday night driving through Orlando once, but that’s the entire tale. There’s no meaningful conclusion to the tale. (I-4 joins 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.

“Apropos Wythenshawe FC, I recall 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 recruited him. Supposedly he was an actor; he had a useful left foot. (Yes, Daniel Day-Lewis)” – Jason Steger.

“Together with some associates and companions, I play a game of football each Friday afternoon. Our most senior member is approaching eighty, while the youngest are in their young adulthood. To ensure a enjoyable experience for everyone, we have a simple rule of thumb regarding the quality of player: you can be quick or talented, but ideally not both. We sometimes have players who break this guideline, but usually manage to drag them down to our level over time” – Lars Esbjerg.