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YOU’RE TELLING US THERE’S A CHANCE?

Unless you’ve missed the footage of Iliman Ndiaye pulling off a backwards bouncing trick at Everton’s training ground, it’s a good watch. Through performing a move so impressive that it would have fit right in at a Harlem Globetrotters show game, the skill quickly concluded what was meant to be a lighthearted kickabout to conclude what had been – up to that point – an informative discussion about how non-professionals can earn a second chance after being dropped from professional academies.

Ndiaye, who competed in amateur leagues directly before being signed by Sheffield United at 19, is ideally suited to discuss this topic. “Avoid dwelling on the rejection and one day your luck is going to arrive,” he told a young player just before using said ninja move on his teammate, in doing so perfectly illustrating the gap between Premier League and amateur footballers he had been trying to bridge.

Ndiaye joins a list of professional footballer to take things that little bit too far. A younger Michael Owen gleefully humiliating a young shot-stopper in front of a annoyed Neville Southall is clearly the benchmark 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 brutal nutmegs, although it’s considered that the latter was at least driven 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 decency to lose their match against 100 children when the three competed during the interval of their final match for BVB. A Real Madrid XI that included Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso showed less mercy when they took on 109 Chinese kids in a comparable scenario. 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 toddlers and teenagers across the country.

LIVE ON BIG WEBSITE

Join Scott Murray from 7.45pm GMT 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

“Soccer carried me but it never abandoned me because I never abandoned my dream. I went from team to team. The devotion to the game drives you. I couldn’t always see where it was taking me. But today I have the solution” – national team manager Veljko Paunovic takes time out from his preparations to reflect on his journey.

FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS

“Pleasant to learn that Kevin Mac Allister won’t be excluded by Argentina. With luck, if he participates in the Bigliest Most Peaceful Cup next year, he’ll read up on how to navigate 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 banned 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 perfectionists. 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 join in my search for symmetry?” – Mike Wilner.

“As a regular follower 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 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 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.

“Concerning Wythenshawe FC, I remember many years ago playing for a Sunday, very recreational club, Turnpike Lane Hibs, on Clapham Common. One morning a bloke known as ‘Danny’ turned up to play. I have no idea who invited him. Reportedly 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 senior member is approaching eighty, while the most junior are in their late-20s. To ensure a enjoyable experience for everyone, we have a basic guideline regarding the ability standard: you can be quick or talented, but ideally not both. We occasionally have players who break this guideline, but usually succeed in bringing them to our standard over time” – Lars Esbjerg.