Iliman Ndiaye, Globetrotters-Style Skills and Revealing Soccer Stats

IS THERE REALLY A POSSIBILITY?

Unless you’ve missed the video of Iliman Ndiaye executing a reverse bouncing nutmeg at Everton’s training ground, you should check it out. In executing a move so nasty that it would have suited perfectly at a Harlem Globetrotters friendly display, the skill instantly ended what was meant to be a informal game to finish what had been – up to that point – an illuminating interview about how Sunday league footballers can get another opportunity after being dropped from professional academies.

Ndiaye, who featured in non-league games directly before being recruited 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 advised a young player shortly before using said ninja move on his teammate, in doing so perfectly illustrating the gulf between Premier League and amateur footballers he had been attempting to dispel.

Ndiaye joins a list of professional footballer to go slightly overboard. A younger Michael Owen gleefully humiliating a teenage keeper in front of a fuming Neville Southall is undoubtedly the prime example in this particular niche – but the ex-Anfield star is not alone in this. Both Christian Eriksen and Shinji Kagawa have reduced toddlers to actual tears with a series of brutal nutmegs, although it’s believed that the latter was at least driven by the Japanese player’s social media apologetic post – “setbacks build character” – and the accompanying hashtag of #friendship.

Kagawa’s former Dortmund teammates Lukasz Piszczek, Jakub Blaszczykowski and Nuri Sahin at least had the manners to be defeated against 100 children when the trio lined up during the mid-game pause of their final match for BVB. A Real Madrid XI that contained Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso were not so generous when they played against 109 Chinese kids in a similar experiment. But back to the start, it’s approximated that only 180 of the 1.5 million boys currently playing competitive youth leagues in England will ever play in the Premier League, a sobering statistic for young players across the country.

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DAILY HIGHLIGHT

“Football took me but it never left me because I never stopped believing. I went from team to team. The love of football propels you. I couldn’t always see where it was directing me. But today I have the answer” – national team manager Veljko Paunovic pauses briefly from his planning to reflect on his career.

FAN FEEDBACK

“Good to know that Kevin Mac Allister won’t be excluded by Argentina. Ideally, if he participates in the major tournament 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.

“Sources state that 1,024 players in the Turkish league have been banned due to suspected participation in a wagering issue. It would be amazing if that number could be raised to the same level of typical pedantry associated with Football Daily – that is, 1,057 readers. By my calculation, that’s about 33 more perfectionists. If I agree to be excluded from playing professionally in Turkey (not a huge sacrifice at my age and, um, skill level), are there 32 more folks willing to participate in my quest for symmetry?” – Mike Wilner.

“As a daily reader and Florida resident, can I in advance protest about the next several days of published letters about which road one uses to get to various locations in your homeland? I mean, I was delayed in congestion on I-4 at 2am on a Tuesday night driving through Orlando once, but that’s the entire tale. There’s no meaningful conclusion to the tale. (I-4 links 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 recall many years ago playing for a Sunday, very social side, Turnpike Lane Hibs, on Clapham Common. One morning a bloke introduced as ‘Danny’ turned up to play. I have no idea who invited him. Supposedly he was an actor; he had a good left side. (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 approaching eighty, while the most junior are in their young adulthood. To ensure a enjoyable experience for everyone, we have a simple rule of thumb regarding the skill level: you can be quick or talented, but preferably not simultaneously. We periodically have players who violate this rule, but usually manage to drag them down to our level over time” – Lars Esbjerg.