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YOU’RE TELLING US THERE’S A CHANCE?

Unless you’ve missed the footage of Iliman Ndiaye performing a backwards bouncing trick at Everton’s training ground, it’s a good watch. By pulling off a move so impressive that it would have been appropriate at a Harlem Globetrotters show game, the skill instantly ended what was meant to be a casual practice to finish what had been – up to that point – an revealing conversation about how Sunday league footballers can earn a second chance after being dropped from professional academies.

Ndiaye, who played Sunday League football directly before being picked up 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 arrive,” he told a young player shortly before using said impressive trick on his victim, in doing so clearly demonstrating the gulf between Premier League and amateur footballers he had been working to minimize.

Ndiaye joins a list of professional footballer to push the boundaries. Peak Michael Owen cheerfully overwhelming a teenage keeper in front of a smouldering Neville Southall is clearly the benchmark in this unique area – but the ex-Anfield star is far from the only offender. Both Christian Eriksen and Shinji Kagawa have caused kids to weep 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 – “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 group played during the interval 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 like situation. But back to the start, it’s calculated that only 180 of the 1.5 million boys currently playing structured junior soccer in England will ever appear in the Premier League, a harsh truth for aspiring footballers across the country.

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Join Scott Murray from evening UK time for real-time tournament updates of England versus Serbia, while Luke McLaughlin will be monitoring the action for the remaining evening matches.

FEATURED STATEMENT

“Football took me but it never left 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 understanding” – Serbia coach Veljko Paunovic pauses briefly from his training to share his journey.

FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS

“Pleasant to learn that Kevin Mac Allister isn’t going to be left home alone by Argentina. Hopefully, if he participates in the major tournament next year, he’ll study how to travel around the tournament sites – wouldn’t want him to end up lost in New York” – James Humphries.

“Information shows that 1,024 players in the Turkish league have been banned due to potential connection in a gambling controversy. 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 estimation, that’s about 33 more detail-oriented individuals. If I volunteer to be banned from playing professionally in Turkey (hardly a difficult decision at my age and, um, talent), are there 32 more folks willing to participate in my quest for balance?” – Mike Wilner.

“As a daily reader and Florida resident, can I preemptively object about the upcoming week-plus of published letters about which route 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 complete account. 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.

“Regarding Wythenshawe FC, I recall 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 invited him. Supposedly he was an actor; he had a useful 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 most senior member is pushing 80, while the most junior are in their twenties. To ensure a good time for everyone, we have a straightforward principle regarding the ability standard: you can be quick or talented, but preferably not both. We occasionally have players who violate this rule, but usually typically reduce them to our quality over time” – Lars Esbjerg.