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COULD IT ACTUALLY HAPPEN?

If you haven’t seen the footage of Iliman Ndiaye pulling off a unusual dribbling move at Everton’s training ground, it’s a good watch. Through performing a move so nasty that it would have fit right in at a Harlem Globetrotters exhibition match, the skill immediately shut down what was meant to be a casual practice to finish what had been – up to that point – an informative discussion about how amateur players can secure a fresh start after being released by professional academies.

Ndiaye, who played Sunday League football directly before being picked up by Sheffield United at 19, is perfectly positioned to speak on this topic. “Don’t focus on the rejection and one day your luck is going to come through,” he informed a young player just before using said ninja move on his victim, in doing so perfectly illustrating the gulf between Premier League and amateur footballers he had been trying to bridge.

Ndiaye is far from the only professional footballer to push the boundaries. Prime Michael Owen happily embarrassing a young shot-stopper in front of a fuming Neville Southall is clearly the benchmark in this particular niche – but the former Liverpool man 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 driven by the Japanese player’s social media disgrace caption – “this frustration makes a person stronger” – and the accompanying hashtag of #friendship.

Kagawa’s former Dortmund teammates 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 half-time break of their farewell game for BVB. A Real Madrid XI that included Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso were more competitive when they took on 109 Chinese kids in a similar experiment. But coming full circle, it’s approximated that only 180 of the 1.5 million boys currently playing competitive youth leagues in England will ever feature in the Premier League, a harsh truth for toddlers and teenagers across the country.

BROADCAST ON MAJOR PLATFORM

Follow Scott Murray from evening UK 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

“The game guided me but it never left me because I never stopped believing. I went from team to team. The devotion to the game carries you. I couldn’t always see where it was directing me. But today I have the solution” – Serbia coach Veljko Paunovic makes time from his training to share his path.

READER CORRESPONDENCE

“Pleasant to learn that Kevin Mac Allister won’t be excluded 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.

“Information shows that 1,024 players in the Turkish league have been prohibited due to potential connection in a betting scandal. It would be wonderful if that number could be increased to the same level of typical pedantry 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 (not much of a loss at my age and, um, skill level), are there 32 more folks willing to participate in my quest for balance?” – Mike Wilner.

“As a regular follower and Florida resident, can I preemptively object about the coming period of published letters about which highway one uses to get to various locations in your island nation? I mean, I was stuck in gridlock 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 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.

“Concerning Wythenshawe FC, I recall many years ago playing for a Sunday, very social side, Turnpike Lane Hibs, on Clapham Common. One morning a bloke introduced 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 experienced participant is approaching eighty, while the least experienced are in their twenties. To ensure a good time for everyone, we have a straightforward principle regarding the skill level: you can be quick or talented, but preferably not simultaneously. We sometimes have players who break this guideline, but usually manage to drag them down to our level over time” – Lars Esbjerg.