Iliman Ndiaye, Harlem Globetrotters-Level Skills and Sobering Soccer Statistics

YOU’RE TELLING US THERE’S A CHANCE?

Should you have overlooked the clip of Iliman Ndiaye pulling off a reverse bouncing nutmeg at Everton’s training ground, it’s a good watch. Through performing a move so nasty that it would have suited perfectly at a Harlem Globetrotters show game, the skill instantly ended what was meant to be a informal game to wrap up what had been – up to that point – an illuminating interview about how amateur players can secure a fresh start after being let go from professional academies.

Ndiaye, who competed in amateur leagues directly before being picked up by Sheffield United at 19, is expertly placed to discuss this topic. “Don’t concentrate on the rejection and one day your luck is going to materialize,” he informed a young player shortly before executing said spectacular skill on his victim, in doing so clearly demonstrating the gap between Premier League and amateur footballers he had been working to minimize.

Ndiaye isn’t the first professional footballer to push the boundaries. Peak Michael Owen gleefully humiliating a young shot-stopper in front of a annoyed Neville Southall is obviously the gold standard in this specific category – but the ex-Anfield star is just one of many culprits. Both Christian Eriksen and Shinji Kagawa have reduced toddlers to actual tears with a series of merciless tricks, although it’s considered that the latter was at least inspired by the Japanese player’s social media apologetic post – “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 manners to suffer a loss against 100 children when the trio played during the interval of their farewell game for BVB. A Real Madrid XI that featured Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso showed less mercy when they faced 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 stark reality for aspiring footballers across the country.

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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 tracking events for the remaining evening matches.

DAILY HIGHLIGHT

“Soccer carried me but it never deserted 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” – head coach Veljko Paunovic pauses briefly from his training to share his journey.

FAN FEEDBACK

“Good to know that Kevin Mac Allister will be included by Argentina. Ideally, if he goes to the international competition next year, he’ll research how to get about the host cities – hopefully he won’t get confused in New York” – James Humphries.

“Sources state that 1,024 players in the Turkish league have been suspended due to suspected participation in a betting scandal. It would be wonderful if that number could be increased to the same level of usual detail-orientation associated with Football Daily – that is, 1,057 readers. By my math, that’s about 33 more detail-oriented individuals. If I volunteer to be banned from playing professionally in Turkey (not a huge sacrifice at my age and, um, ability), 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 upcoming week-plus of published letters about which route one uses to get to various locations in your country? I mean, I was stuck in gridlock on I-4 at 2am on a Tuesday night driving through Orlando once, but that’s the entire tale. 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.

“Regarding Wythenshawe FC, I remember 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 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 most senior member is nearing eight decades, while the least experienced are in their twenties. To ensure a positive atmosphere for everyone, we have a simple rule of thumb regarding the skill level: you can be fast or skilled, but preferably not both. We occasionally have players who violate this rule, but usually typically reduce them to our quality over time” – Lars Esbjerg.