🔗 Share this article Iliman Ndiaye, Globetrotters-Style Moves and Revealing Football Stats IS THERE REALLY A POSSIBILITY? Unless you’ve missed the video of Iliman Ndiaye executing a unusual dribbling move at Everton’s training ground, it’s worth viewing. Through performing a move so spectacular that it would have been appropriate at a Harlem Globetrotters show game, the skill immediately shut down what was meant to be a lighthearted kickabout to wrap up what had been – up to that point – an revealing conversation about how non-professionals can secure a fresh start after being let go from professional academies. Ndiaye, who played Sunday League football directly before being recruited by Sheffield United at 19, is expertly placed to speak on this topic. “Avoid dwelling on the rejection and one day your luck is going to come through,” he informed a young player immediately prior to using said spectacular skill on his opponent, in doing so vividly showing the difference between Premier League and amateur footballers he had been working to minimize. Ndiaye isn’t the first professional footballer to go slightly overboard. Peak Michael Owen cheerfully overwhelming a 13-year-old goalkeeper in front of a annoyed Neville Southall is clearly the benchmark in this particular niche – but the one-time Reds forward is just one of many culprits. Both Christian Eriksen and Shinji Kagawa have reduced toddlers to actual tears with a series of harsh skills, although it’s thought that the latter was at least inspired by the Japanese player’s social media disgrace caption – “difficulty breeds resilience” – and the related tag of #friendship. Kagawa’s previous Borussia partners Lukasz Piszczek, Jakub Blaszczykowski and Nuri Sahin at least had the decency to be defeated against 100 children when the three lined up during the interval of their farewell game for BVB. A Real Madrid XI that included Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso were not so generous when they played against 109 Chinese kids in a similar experiment. But coming full circle, it’s estimated that only 180 of the 1.5 million boys currently playing structured junior soccer in England will ever feature in the Premier League, a sobering statistic for young players across the country. BROADCAST ON MAJOR PLATFORM Tune in with Scott Murray from 7.45pm GMT for live international football action of England versus Serbia, while Luke McLaughlin will be on clockwatch duty for the other games happening later. DAILY HIGHLIGHT “Soccer carried me but it never left me because I never abandoned my dream. I went from location to location. The love of football drives you. I couldn’t always see where it was taking me. But today I have the answer” – national team manager Veljko Paunovic pauses briefly from his training to share his career. READER CORRESPONDENCE “Good to know that Kevin Mac Allister isn’t going to be left home alone by Argentina. Hopefully, if he goes to the Bigliest Most Peaceful Cup next year, he’ll study how to navigate the venue locations – hopefully he won’t get confused in New York” – James Humphries. “Sources state that 1,024 players in the Turkish league have been banned due to potential connection in a wagering issue. 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 math, that’s about 33 more detail-oriented individuals. If I offer to be suspended from playing professionally in Turkey (hardly a difficult decision at my age and, um, ability), are there 32 more folks willing to participate in my quest for symmetry?” – Mike Wilner. “As a daily reader and Florida resident, can I proactively complain about the coming period of published letters about which route 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 entire tale. 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 delays at any time)” – Rasteen Nowroozi. “Apropos Wythenshawe FC, I remember many years ago playing for a Sunday, very casual team, Turnpike Lane Hibs, on Clapham Common. One morning a bloke presented as ‘Danny’ turned up to play. I have no idea who brought him along. Supposedly he was an actor; he had a decent left foot. (Yes, Daniel Day-Lewis)” – Jason Steger. “Together with some associates and companions, I play a game of football each Friday afternoon. Our oldest player is nearing eight decades, while the most junior are in their twenties. To ensure a good time for everyone, we have a straightforward principle regarding the quality of player: you can be quick or talented, but preferably not both. We sometimes have players who break this guideline, but usually typically reduce them to our quality over time” – Lars Esbjerg.