Iliman Ndiaye, Harlem Globetrotters-Level Moves and Revealing Football Statistics

IS THERE REALLY A POSSIBILITY?

Should you have overlooked the video of Iliman Ndiaye pulling off a backwards bouncing trick at Everton’s training ground, it’s a good watch. By pulling off 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 finish what had been – up to that point – an illuminating interview about how Sunday league footballers can earn a second chance after being dropped from professional academies.

Ndiaye, who featured in non-league games directly before being picked up by Sheffield United at 19, is ideally suited to address this topic. “Don’t concentrate on the rejection and one day your luck is going to materialize,” he advised a young player immediately prior to deploying said ninja move on his victim, in doing so perfectly illustrating the gap between Premier League and amateur footballers he had been trying to bridge.

Ndiaye isn’t the first professional footballer to go slightly overboard. Peak Michael Owen gleefully humiliating a young shot-stopper in front of a smouldering Neville Southall is undoubtedly the prime example in this particular niche – but the former Liverpool man is not alone in this. Both Christian Eriksen and Shinji Kagawa have caused kids to weep with a series of brutal nutmegs, 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 ex-BVB colleagues Lukasz Piszczek, Jakub Blaszczykowski and Nuri Sahin at least had the good grace to suffer a loss against 100 children when the group competed during the half-time break of their last appearance for BVB. A Real Madrid XI that contained Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso showed less mercy when they played against 109 Chinese kids in a like situation. But coming full circle, it’s calculated that only 180 of the 1.5 million boys currently playing structured junior soccer in England will ever play in the Premier League, a sobering statistic for toddlers and teenagers across the country.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY

“The game guided me but it never left me because I never gave up on my goal. I went from place to place. The passion for soccer drives you. I couldn’t always see where it was taking me. But today I have the answer” – national team manager Veljko Paunovic makes time from his training to reflect on his path.

FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS

“Pleasant to learn that Kevin Mac Allister will be included by Argentina. With luck, if he travels to the Bigliest Most Peaceful Cup next year, he’ll read up on how to travel around the venue locations – let’s avoid him being disoriented in New York” – James Humphries.

“Reports indicate that 1,024 players in the Turkish league have been suspended due to alleged involvement in a betting scandal. It would be amazing if that number could be increased 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 (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 daily reader and Florida resident, can I preemptively object about the next several days of published letters about which highway one uses to get to various locations in your homeland? 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 satisfying lesson 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 recall many years ago playing for a Sunday, very social side, 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 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 oldest player is pushing 80, while the youngest are in their young adulthood. To ensure a enjoyable experience for everyone, we have a straightforward principle regarding the skill level: you can be speedy or technical, but preferably not both. We periodically have players who disregard this principle, but usually typically reduce them to our quality over time” – Lars Esbjerg.