Ndiaye, Harlem Globetrotters-Level Moves and Revealing Football Stats
COULD IT ACTUALLY HAPPEN?
Unless you’ve missed the footage of Iliman Ndiaye pulling off a reverse bouncing nutmeg at Everton’s training ground, you should check it out. In executing a move so impressive that it would have been appropriate at a Harlem Globetrotters friendly display, the skill instantly ended what was meant to be a casual practice to conclude what had been – up to that point – an revealing conversation about how Sunday league footballers can earn a second chance after being let go from professional academies.
Ndiaye, who featured in non-league games directly before being signed by Sheffield United at 19, is expertly placed to address this topic. “Don’t focus on the rejection and one day your luck is going to arrive,” he advised a young player shortly before executing said spectacular skill on his victim, in doing so vividly showing the difference between Premier League and amateur footballers he had been working to minimize.
Ndiaye isn’t the first professional footballer to go slightly overboard. Peak Michael Owen gleefully humiliating a young shot-stopper in front of a fuming Neville Southall is clearly the benchmark in this unique area – but the former Liverpool man is not alone in this. Both Christian Eriksen and Shinji Kagawa have made young children cry with a series of brutal nutmegs, although it’s considered that the latter was at least motivated by the Japanese player’s social media disgrace caption – “setbacks build character” – and the associated label 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 played during the interval of their last appearance for BVB. A Real Madrid XI that included Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso were not so generous when they faced 109 Chinese kids in a comparable scenario. But back to the start, 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 stark reality for young players across the country.
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QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Football took me but it never deserted me because I never gave up on my goal. I went from team to team. The love of football drives you. I couldn’t always see where it was leading me. But today I have the answer” – head coach Veljko Paunovic makes time from his planning to discuss his career.
FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS
“Good to know that Kevin Mac Allister will be included by Argentina. Ideally, if he travels to the major tournament next year, he’ll read up on how to navigate the tournament sites – 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 potential connection in a gambling controversy. It would be wonderful if that number could be bumped up 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 assist my effort for harmony?” – Mike Wilner.
“As a daily reader and Florida resident, can I proactively complain about the next several days of published letters about which route 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 entire tale. 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 delays at any time)” – Rasteen Nowroozi.
“Apropos Wythenshawe FC, I recall many years ago playing for a Sunday, very casual team, Turnpike Lane Hibs, on Clapham Common. One morning a bloke known as ‘Danny’ turned up to play. I have no idea who recruited him. Supposedly he was an actor; he had a useful left foot. (Yes, Daniel Day-Lewis)” – Jason Steger.
“Together with some associates and companions, I play a game of football each Friday afternoon. Our most senior member is pushing 80, while the youngest are in their young adulthood. To ensure a positive atmosphere for everyone, we have a simple rule of thumb regarding the ability standard: you can be fast or skilled, but ideally not both. We occasionally have players who disregard this principle, but usually manage to drag them down to our level over time” – Lars Esbjerg.