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IS THERE REALLY A POSSIBILITY?

Should you have overlooked the clip of Iliman Ndiaye performing a reverse bouncing nutmeg at Everton’s training ground, it’s worth viewing. By pulling off a move so nasty that it would have been appropriate at a Harlem Globetrotters friendly display, the skill immediately shut down what was meant to be a casual practice to wrap up what had been – up to that point – an illuminating interview about how non-professionals can get another opportunity after being let go from professional academies.

Ndiaye, who played Sunday League football directly before being picked up by Sheffield United at 19, is expertly placed to address this topic. “Don’t concentrate on the rejection and one day your luck is going to arrive,” he told a young player just before executing said spectacular skill on his teammate, in doing so perfectly illustrating 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. Prime Michael Owen cheerfully overwhelming a teenage keeper in front of a annoyed Neville Southall is obviously the gold standard in this specific category – but the one-time Reds forward is far from the only offender. 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 driven by the Japanese player’s social media regretful message – “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 trio competed during the half-time break of their farewell game for BVB. A Real Madrid XI that included Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso were not so generous when they faced 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 organized youth football in England will ever feature in the Premier League, a harsh truth for aspiring footballers across the country.

LIVE ON BIG WEBSITE

Tune in with 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.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Soccer carried me but it never deserted me because I never stopped believing. I went from location to location. The devotion to the game carries you. I couldn’t always see where it was leading me. But today I have the solution” – head coach Veljko Paunovic makes time from his preparations to reflect on his path.

READER CORRESPONDENCE

“Nice to hear that Kevin Mac Allister won’t be excluded by Argentina. Ideally, if he travels to the Bigliest Most Peaceful Cup next year, he’ll read up on how to travel around 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 banned due to alleged involvement in a wagering issue. It would be amazing if that number could be bumped up 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 detail-oriented individuals. If I agree to be excluded from playing professionally in Turkey (hardly a difficult decision at my age and, um, skill level), are there 32 more folks willing to participate in my quest for symmetry?” – Mike Wilner.

“As a frequent consumer and Florida resident, can I preemptively object about the next several days of published letters about which road one uses to get to various locations in your island nation? 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 complete account. 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 congestion problems at any time)” – Rasteen Nowroozi.

“Regarding Wythenshawe FC, I recollect many years ago playing for a Sunday, very recreational club, Turnpike Lane Hibs, on Clapham Common. One morning a bloke introduced as ‘Danny’ turned up to play. I have no idea who invited him. Apparently 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 nearing eight decades, while the least experienced are in their late-20s. To ensure a good time for everyone, we have a simple rule of thumb regarding the skill level: you can be fast or skilled, but ideally not both. We sometimes have players who violate this rule, but usually typically reduce them to our quality over time” – Lars Esbjerg.