🔗 Share this article Iliman Ndiaye, Harlem Globetrotters-Level Moves and Sobering Football Stats COULD IT ACTUALLY HAPPEN? Should you have overlooked the footage of Iliman Ndiaye executing a backwards bouncing trick at Everton’s training ground, it’s a good watch. Through performing a move so spectacular that it would have fit right in at a Harlem Globetrotters show game, the skill quickly concluded what was meant to be a casual practice to conclude what had been – up to that point – an illuminating interview about how Sunday league footballers can earn a second chance after being let go from professional academies. Ndiaye, who competed in amateur leagues 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 informed a young player just before executing said spectacular skill on his opponent, in doing so vividly showing the gulf 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 obviously the gold standard in this specific category – but the one-time Reds forward 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 inspired by the Japanese player’s social media regretful message – “this frustration makes a person stronger” – and the related tag of #friendship. Kagawa’s ex-BVB colleagues Lukasz Piszczek, Jakub Blaszczykowski and Nuri Sahin at least had the manners to suffer a loss against 100 children when the group lined up during the interval of their last appearance for BVB. A Real Madrid XI that contained Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso showed less mercy when they took on 109 Chinese kids in a like situation. But returning to the beginning, it’s estimated that only 180 of the 1.5 million boys currently playing competitive youth leagues in England will ever play in the Premier League, a harsh truth 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 tracking events for the remaining evening matches. FEATURED STATEMENT “Football took me but it never left me because I never stopped believing. I went from location to location. The devotion to the game propels you. I couldn’t always see where it was directing me. But today I have the understanding” – head coach Veljko Paunovic takes time out from his planning to share his journey. FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS “Pleasant to learn that Kevin Mac Allister won’t be excluded by Argentina. Ideally, if he travels to the international competition next year, he’ll study how to travel around 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 wagering issue. It would be wonderful 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 offer to be suspended from playing professionally in Turkey (hardly a difficult decision at my age and, um, skill level), are there 32 more folks willing to join in my search for symmetry?” – Mike Wilner. “As a frequent consumer 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 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 rewarding moral to the tale. (I-4 connects Tampa on the Gulf Coast to Daytona on the Atlantic via Orlando/Walt Disney World, and can have traffic issues at any time)” – Rasteen Nowroozi. “Apropos Wythenshawe FC, I recollect 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. Apparently he was an actor; he had a decent 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 oldest player is approaching eighty, while the least experienced are in their young adulthood. To ensure a positive atmosphere for everyone, we have a basic guideline regarding the ability standard: you can be speedy or technical, 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.