Unpacked – From grassroots football to the World Cup with Liam Smith

In the hours before this episode hit the streaming platforms, England beat Mexico in a famous 3-2 victory at the Estadio Azteca, keeping their World Cup dreams alive and setting up a meeting with Norway – fresh from knocking out Brazil – in the last eight of the competition.Yes, this week we’re all about the football, in conversation with Liam Smith, who coaches a group of players every bit as culturally diverse as today's England squad, at grassroots level here in Bristol. He’s head of football development at Bristol Central youth football club, based at City Academy in Redfield – and is a man on a mission to empower young people to enjoy and express themselves through the sport. How can community clubs hold tight to that ethos in an increasingly competitive youth football environment – where only 0.5% go on to make it through the academy system to become pros? What are the qualities that help those players succeed? What does the diversity of the kids he coaches – and of the elite national players – say about the country we live in now? And does he really believe England can win this thing?The Bristol Cable is Bristol's community-owned cooperative newsroom – fiercely independent journalism that puts people before profit. Since 2014, we've been holding power to account through investigative reporting, community campaigns, and democratic media ownership. Because when journalism serves the community, not shareholders, real change becomes possible.Support independent journalism and help us bring more vital conversations to Bristol: become a Bristol Cable member.