In the hours before this episode went live, 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, a Neil is joined by Liam Smith, who coaches a group of players every bit as culturally diverse as today’s England squad, at grassroots level here in Bristol’s inner city.
He’s vice-chair and head of football development at Bristol Central youth football club, Bristol’s only Black-led junior football organisation, 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 brutal 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?
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