Full Transcript for Building Unity Through Passion: The Story of World in One City Football Tournament. Episode 13

the SLM are a private GP. ⁓ Sam Roberts: You're listening to Minds On The Mersey, podcast's all about strong minds, real and positive mental health for men. ⁓ We're down barriers, smashing the stigma and having the kind of open honest chats that really matter. ⁓ From struggles to stories of strength, ⁓ this where conversation meets connection. ⁓ makes a huge difference in helping others discover the podcast. I'd also love to hear from you as well. So drop a comment with your thoughts, feedback or even something you'd like us to discuss. Joe, we might be able to give you some feedback on our thoughts. Yeah, finally, ⁓ if you know someone who would benefit from hearing the rubbish that me and him talk, then share it with them because you know, you really could be helping somebody. Sam: This episode of Minds on the Mersey is brought to you by SLM G P your affordable private GP in the heart of Liverpool. Richie: Not another Liverpool fan, fuck they. Sam: Listen, I don't know what club he supports, but we're not here to talk about that. We're to talk about World in One City, because it's phenomenal, by the way. Hey, Matt, how you doing, mate? You okay? Sam Roberts: keep you locked in for hours. No sugar, no fillers, no artificial colours, no nonsense. Just smooth, long-lasting energy that tastes incredible and keeps you performing at your best. Whether you're gaming, creating, studying, working out or just trying to get through a day without crashing. So ditch the jitter juice, skip the sugar bombs and upgrade to clean energy that actually works. Richie: We have indeed. We have. We've blagged it. We've blagged another one. We've done it. I'm getting off. Tom: Yeah, we wanted to set up a service that complements the NHS and offers affordable, accessible appointments including evening and weekends to make services accessible for people with busy lives and commitments. Sam: We we have, we have. Very exciting. We've reeled them in. No, I'm only joking. ⁓ we are proud to announce, very proud to announce that we are sponsored by SLM GP. ⁓ SLM GP are a private GP ⁓ in the heart of Liverpool. They are based on Duke Street. and they offer affordable, convenient and professional private GP services coming from the heart of Liverpool City Centre. Richie: Finally, ⁓ if you know someone who would benefit from hearing the rubbish that me and him talk, then share it with them because you know really could be helping somebody. ⁓ But lastly, and most importantly, thank you so so much for being part of this community. We genuinely, genuinely really do appreciate your support. So thanks guys. Here's the episode and it's an absolute bouncer. Cheers guys. Imad: I'm great, I'm great. Thank you and thanks for having me on. Really appreciate it. Sam: And we're gonna go in and talk to Tom and Sam in a minute and they're gonna talk to us about what it is they offer and the reason why they wanted to partner with us. ⁓ these guys offer loads of services, but one of the main ones

they do is they do the the health checks for the taxi drivers and the medicals. our mate honestly thank you for coming on we really appreciate it as as we said before we started recording we're really sorry that we couldn't do this face to face obviously there's been some issues where we usually record so we would love to have done this face to face but this is the next best thing we've still got you on the episode which is what we wanted to do so you know it'll work out in the end hopefully so you know we'll see what happens to see what happens so for anybody who doesn't know what who you are just quickly introduce yourself to the people Sam Roberts: I'm your host Sam Roberts and this is Minds on the Mersey. But lastly, and most importantly, thank you so, so much for being part of this community. We genuinely, genuinely really do appreciate your support. So thanks guys. Here's the episode and it's an absolute belter. Richie: and that medicals for like visas for people coming into the country and all Sam: 100%. So it's like I work Monday, Friday, nine to five. I said it's almost impossible to get an appointment outside of those hours, but you guys offer that service for everybody. But they offer loads of stuff. Gonna go in, we'll talk to them and let them tell you about what it is they do. Sam Roberts: And if you use code word Mersey10 at checkout, you will get 10% off your order. So, W, be better, be focused, be unstoppable. Get yours today from W.gg. That's dubby.gg. Use code word Mersey10 for 10% off your order. Imad: hopefully. Tom: Yeah and we can do appointments in person here or ⁓ if needed we can do them remotely as well if that's easier for our patients. So yeah we're flexible. Our main face-to-face clinics are on a Friday and a Saturday and then we run remote clinics during the week as well. Sam: Best thing they offer is evening and weekend appointments, which for someone like me, unbelievable, loads better. Imad: Yeah, so my name is Imad, born and raised in Liverpool and about six years ago I started ⁓ a football tournament just on the back end of Covid called The World in One City and it was quite a unique tournament in where we made it Richie: and they also do it remotely like we are now which we'll get into that Pilava in a second but yeah SLNGP, Tom and Sam they're lovely lovely fellas really understanding in fact they met Sam before when he was my GP up in my own doctors and now he's gone private and like just a good pair of lads and they understand like they really really have good core values at heart don't they? Sam: Yes, absolutely they do. Yeah, yeah. Amazing, absolutely fantastic. Richie: Sam, so why mine's on the mazey? Sam GP: Well, I think the thing that's really great for us about you guys is that it really complements a lot of what we believe in and what we kind of want to focus on. So you guys focusing on mental health and mental health, you know, we recognize that that's an area that, you know, is important and we want to partner with someone who has similar values to ourselves. We also like to work with kind of local communities and people who are helping out in that way. So it's a really perfect match for us. And said, aligns really well with what we want to do. Sam: Ha ha ha ha ha. Imad: We kind of started out with friends, so I've got quite a wide network of footballing friends through playing and through just going to match and stuff like that and the line of work that I do. yeah, we conjured up a football tournament basically. ⁓ The main gist or the main thought behind the tournament was that ⁓ I obviously... Sam: I think they do, mate. Yeah, I think to be honest with you, ⁓ when when we first met Tom at that ⁓ networking event and we sort of spoke to him for a good sort of half an hour and I just got a really good vibe from him. He was dead down to earth, you know, he was dead sound, spoke about mental health for ages with us. He's really passionate about mental health and and you know, especially within men ⁓ trying to improve it and stuff and preventative measures and stuff, so Sam GP: Yeah, I'm really looking forward to partnering. Richie: Amazing. That's amazing. These two here, they're our new sponsor. How about that? Sam: Absolutely happy days. Imad: passionate football player, passionate football fan, wanted to represent my country, Yemen, which is where my parents are from. However, I don't know if you're familiar with Yemen, but they don't have a very good football team. Nevertheless, kind of through me Yemeni heritage and knowing quite a few Yemenis in the city, we kind of had our own football team and we found it quite... Sam: he was sort of like hooked on the idea of a mental health podcast straight away and he just bought into it immediately and you know, we said about potential sponsorship and stuff and they've kindly agreed to partner with us. so Richie: for the next six episodes so far, isn't it, Sam? Sam: ⁓ first or six, see how it goes, see if ⁓ they wanna continue after that. But yeah, I mean we're just delighted that that we've got them on board, to be honest with you. I mean, what they offer is is phenomenal. They do medicals, they do all sorts of stuff. They as I said, they do the evening and weekend GP appointments, which for s people like myself and you, mate, trying to get a GP appointment during the week, it's impossible. You can't do it. You just can't do it. It's just it's a pain in the arse, isn't it? Imad: We found it quite unique when we would go to go and play, you know, other Yemenis from different cities. And I was like, imagine we could compete against other nationalities. And just slowly through COVID, I was just collecting data, basically just going through the phone book, finding a name, going through different walks of life that I had, ⁓ whether it be through the musical background, through work, through school, through college, through the area that I grew up in. Richie: Yeah, it's just a bit in the ass. Sam:

⁓ they do a wellness package, so they do a consultation investigation into your general wellness if you feel like you just generally need one. ⁓ they do a weight loss one, they do medicals for taxis, for HGVs, for condo. ⁓ they do all sorts, mate. They honestly do all sorts and they're just a ⁓ a sound pair of lads, aren't they? So Imad: just phoning people, where are you from mate? They'd tell me where they're from, unbeknowing to them what ⁓ I had. I'm quite a peculiar individual in some senses and most of the lads would just give me where they were from and wouldn't ask no questions. Richie: So why were they here Sam? Might as well just say thank you another Sam and Tom for sponsoring us and... Sam: Hehehehehe Absolutely. Absolutely. For believing in us and, you know, backing us and stuff. So now we've got to prove that they've done the right thing, haven't we, now? So Richie: They were signing up, they were signing up to play football. He's got nervous checkbook hasn't he? Sam: Hehehehehe Richie: And if anyone's struggling, you can go and see them as well. And if you've got MediCash or any other claim back service as well, they do all that sort of stuff and they'll even help you with the receipts and stuff like that so you can claim it back. They're really, really just a pair of good eggs is probably the best way to say it, to describe them both, isn't it? Really. Hehehehehe ⁓ Sam: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha Imad: Imad's calling us for something, just whatever. And then yeah, we managed to conjure it up. I've obviously wrapped that up as quick as I could basically, Sam: I'm Absolutely. So absolutely. So if you want to find out more about SLM GP, the website is slmgp.co dot uk. SLMGP.co.uk. Get on there. They've got the book and appointment tab tells you all about the servicing and pricing, their location. But as Richie said, location isn't that important because they can do a video call, just like me and Richie are doing now, and they can sort you out that way as well. So Richie: He's after Sutton. What's he, just telling me he'll go away? Imad: We got the ball rolling and I started making group chats and just adding. So like for example, the Yemen team was fairly easy. I knew everybody. We put them all in the group chat and that was one team done. And then for example, the Nigerian team was, you could say it was like a mishmash of, I had two lads that I knew from a football club that I played for when I was in year 10, who I still stayed in touch with. I had a lad who I also sing as a passion. Sam: Absolutely first class service. Me and Richie went down there on Friday, did a little bit of a record, didn't we? Yeah, a little bit of an advert. So you'll see that in a little while, ⁓ between the two sections. But yeah, SLMGP.co.uk. get on there, have a look at what they offer because you never know, they might be able to sort you right out. Richie: We laughed, didn't we? Fair enough, yes. Sam: Anyway. Imad: So there was a lad who used to go

to the same club as me, you know, for performing arts and he played football and I'd put them all in a group chat and just tell them to stay there until I could give further information. Before you knew it, we had group chats for everyone and your friend from singing is like, ⁓ my cousin's also a football player and obviously he's from Nigeria. he join? And then he joins. And before you know it, we had 16 nations with 20 players in each. Richie: We got really lucky with that advert, you know. We bumped into Sam outside the shop and we were like, is this it? How'd you get in? What are we doing here? Journey, we honestly couldn't have been better. we went to get inside the building and we're we're having a good mooch around, aren't we? And then we go into the consultation room. We have a chat, we record our adverts and stuff like that. Then we come outside and we set up like our tripod and recording equipment, didn't we? And... Sam: ⁓ mate, yeah. It was like perfect timing, wasn't it? It was wild. Richie: Wow. Sam: Yeah. Imad: called it the world in my city and I've got to represent me, got to represent the evidence. Richie: Wow. Now we've recorded the first day to do it because we're professionals, aren't we? That's what we do. That's just what we do. Listen, speak for yourself. Next thing you know, we turn around, like literally 50 people are walking down the road. We're like, Jesus Christ, we've done it. You know, the stars just align that day. That was a warm day. Sam: Well I wouldn't say that. I think we just lucked out. Richie: How'd you get on? Sam: That's unbelievable. Imad: yeah we still haven't won it in the five years that it's been on like we've got we got we got to the final in the third year and we lost on penalties which was absolutely ⁓ Richie: No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, Hahaha ⁓ Sam: We proper timed everything properly well, didn't we? Honestly they did. They did. And the weather was delightful as well. But unfortunat but I have watched the ⁓ I have watched the bit where we're recording outside and my belly's aggregate out from under me T shirt and I'm furious and I can't get over it. But I'm just gonna have to deal with it. Just have to deal with it. It is what it is. It's what it is. They will have to book an appointment with SLM GP about a weight loss consultation. We'll see. Absolutely. Imad: Well, I'll come to work, I'm pretty sure we'll touch on all the, on how it runs and stuff like that, but the come down after each world in one city is, I can't explain it to you, it's such a massive low, if you know what I mean. And, Richie: Just colour it in red. ⁓ okay. Imad: Especially that one World in one City 3 because obviously it's the law I always say I try to explain to people you go from Well, not so much said platter, but he's you go from being said platter I know he's not the best example to use but he's just the most famous FIFA. Hey, you know So we go from being said platter to just going back to your normal life soon as the world in one cities over and that that Richie: 3.3 yeah maybe made my belt off or something but no it was ⁓ it was good you know and ⁓ yeah so it was like a really like mad experience really like recording on the street like i've seen people doing mad stuff in Liverpool do know what i mean and then for us then to like yeah and it was ⁓ but it was a way like getting out in the community and stuff like that as well which we'll have to do something else Sam Sam: It's the first time we've done that, isn't it? Yeah. It's ⁓ Richie: So. Imad: That come down is very hard to deal with if you know what I'm into consideration and account that we were a penalty shootout away from the whole dream coming true kind of thing. So yeah. Sam: I think yeah, I'm I'm I'm up I'm up now we've got like the little mics and that that plug into the bottom of my phone. I'm I'm I'm really up for getting out and about, especially like at events and stuff. So like I went with the lads on ⁓ Saturday morning from Wick to do their walk with them. And I took yeah, I took Perry and Finn along as well, yeah. And ⁓ just did the walk with them lads and it was fucking it was great, you know, it was really good. Yeah, it was nice to get out of the house. Yeah, they're they're funny lads, they're honestly they're they're just dead down to earth, aren't they? Yeah. Richie: So talk to me, like how does it work then, you know, so you've got 16 teams, all different nations, wonderful, do you know what mean? Everyone working together and doing all that sort of stuff. So like, do do like, is that straight into the knockout stages, is it? And then you... Did you go? you? ⁓ well, okay. with the mud. Hahahaha ⁓ Imad: No, so we changed the format slightly for the fifth year because it was an annual year kind of thing where we incorporated more teams into it. So last year we had 28 nations and kind of everybody says to me, wow, like people don't know that we've got that much, you know, that much diversity from such a multicultural city and maybe the tournament over the last five years has, you know, developed and there's players that come from different cities now to play. So we might Sam: They're dead down to earth. They're dead sound, dead funny. So, so yeah, went on the walk with them. Perry and Finn came, like I said. ⁓ Finn got a bit tired towards the end. He was like, ⁓ my legs are hurting now. But I was like, Come on, mate, we're nearly there. ⁓ the offer of a Greg's sausage roll got him through the last sort of ten minutes, so so ⁓ he got through that. Exactly, yeah. So ⁓ so yeah, so he got through it. He did really well actually, to be fair. So it's it's just nice to on a nice day like that Richie: Wow. Dead in the Champions, that, didn't it? Greg Sossett's a drill. Multicultural if you like, yeah, yeah. So what did they talk about on the walk and what was the... Sam: Mate, just it's literally just like we do here. Like we do here, we just catch up, you just have a chat,

you just have a laugh, you know, and yeah, it's just just really good. Like we were talking about when we were at school and all sorts of stuff, mate. Honestly, yeah, it was really it was really good, really good. We left the museum about half nine, finished about ten to eleven. It was really good, really nice. Finn was, yeah, yeah, yeah. He doesn't do much, ⁓ he doesn't do much ⁓ exercising, bless him. He's ⁓ too busy on his Playstation half the friggin' time, so Imad: We might have a couple of lads from different places, each nation's represented well. ⁓ Richie: It's all the same gold, isn't it? Okay That's good. So is this like, sorry you have to forgive me. Sam does tell me about me guests and I do read up. Now I've got your ear, I've got questions. So is this like, every match is 90 minutes or is it like, no? ⁓ go on. Yeah. Imad: No, but I don't mean... Yeah, yeah. Richie: And he was tired. Fuckin' hell. Imad: Yeah, Yeah, no, no. No, no, no. So let me explain this. So basically it's a completely different format to football, what you would watch on the TV. So if you can imagine, it's half a pitch. So if you imagine full pitch and then you turn that way and you play throwing line to throwing line. A nine aside pitch with 11 players on each team. ⁓ Sam: So yeah. ⁓ bless him. Bless him. Right. Richie: So I'd like to talk about just something that I did this week with Amazon, BBC Radio Merseyside. Yeah, honestly, right. Like I thought from doing this and our recordings and stuff like that, I thought it might like help a little bit. Did it shite? Did it shite? Honestly, the host of the show, she was absolutely lovely, right. And it was all like chill and stuff like that. And then next thing you know, she just goes, right, headphones on, right, 19 seconds and no where to my ass. I thought what? Okay. Sam: You were, yeah. You're a radio star now, mate. Richie: Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Like a nine aside. Yeah, yeah. ⁓ but you've got to think about different levels of fitness and stuff like that. Imad: You've also got to think of the carnage it creates and that's what the fans want to see. It's basically basketball meets football because it's literally end to end. You can be on the attack and one break and all of a sudden goalkeepers have scored in this tournament epically. So it's one of those... Richie: Yeah, you've got to be ready to speak, like playing five a side, I imagine. Sam: Hahaha. Really, yeah. Richie: And it just got like all dead sensible and all that and I'm like, oh my God, what's gonna happen now? And it's quick, know, every nanosecond on that radio is already accounted for. you have to reel it through really, really fast. Yeah. Yeah, no, 100%. Yeah, and it was like, you know, yeah, we're on the air for like, it felt like a minute. Yeah. Wow, okay. So just to let you know, me and Sam are trustees to the Mercy Mind Project and that's what we do on Mondays and Thursdays, play 11 a side on 9 a side pitches. But our goalkeepers, take fucking notes here. Got people who scored. Sean, I'm aiming this at you. Sorry, sorry, I digress. Sorry, go on, I'm mad. I love this. Sam: She put she push it they push you on, don't they? If you even hesitate for a bit, they're like, Come on, come on, come on 'cause it's like, Yeah, yeah. Imad: Okay. Sam: hahahaha Richie: It really did. By the time I spoke and Dave spoke, the guy from Marine AFC, and we were, and I got outside, it was like a work, like I'd been in the washing machine as well. There was no air con in the air. I was soaking wet with sweat. That was prior to doing the advert with you. I had a long day that day. And I forgot the tripods, we had to walk all the way back to the car as well and stuff like that. It was just an absolute nightmare, mate. I had a twat of a day. Sam: Yeah, Sean. Yeah. Imad: No, no Shaun. Make sure Shaun, okay? Basically, the goal that the goalkeeper scored, it kind of went viral and it kind of took us to another level, if I'm being totally honest. We've got to... So, there's some lads that don't have representation. for example, there's a lad from Algeria and there's not that much of a big Algerian community. Sam: Yeah, exactly. Yeah, come on, Sean. Ha ha ha ha ha. He did. Richie: Okay. Sam: No nightmare. Richie: I had to go and help my mum as well, which wasn't great, but you know... It's alright mate, buying a new card isn't seeing stuff like that, but did see what she did to my BFD card? Did you see what she did to my fucking BFD card? Sam: Why what's Sue done now? Imad: and instead of leaving them out to what we created was a team called The Rest Of The World and they've got a stipulation where they're only allowed one player per nation so you can't have like two Algerians in the team you can only have one Algerian kind of thing but it's very tactical and strategical because if you've got an Irish left-back you've got to make sure that your your left wingers from you know what I mean and you kind of yeah yeah but they they they've ⁓ Sam: Okay. ⁓ yeah, you did you did tell me about this. Say again. Richie: ⁓ yeah. Okay. Sam: No. What is she doing your birthday card? Richie: So, my mum gets a bit creative, let's say. anyway, so as you know, I was on the radio and stuff like that, let's get past that. I'm not Karl Frosch in front of 80 Files, I'm not Wembley. And you know what mean? So going back, with the Amazing Mind project, Gillo did a little advert on Facebook for me to go on it and he superimposed my face. Sam: Right. You have to be really careful of who you put in there. Imad: They've been one of the teams that have absolutely like from World in One City one to World in One City five where they are now it's night and day because in the first year like I said we were like scrapping, scrounging for players and now the demand's so big and there's players that are like a lad might not get into a team and all of a sudden he comes to me with his heritage certificate. Look I've got 3 % Benin I can

play. You know what I mean? Sam: I was I was on the radio once me that Richie: onto a different body. I know I've lied, I looked incredible but my tattoos were wrong and all that. It weren't me, let me just see if I can get it up on my phone now the picture. He's gotta take an ancestor DNA test! ⁓ Sam: Hahaha! Imad: I don't have a clue where it is on the map but I need to play in the tournament, get me in rest of the world Sam: Now that you now that you've mentioned this, I do know exactly what you're talking about. Yeah. Get in, Sue. Well done, Sue. Yeah. Richie: Honestly, I got a dummy in. Honestly, I got cleared me right off the tiff. I was like, who's done this? It's not even me. Anyway, I can't find the photo. We'll put the photo in the comments. It's on Facebook. It's on Facebook, Mersey Mine Project page. Anyway, it looks nothing like me. I look incredible. I look like I lost about four stone. She then puts that on my birthday card on a moon pill. Sam: That's class. Imad: Yeah, it is, it's class. Yeah, that's, honestly, honest to God, over the five years, mate, if I could tell you some of the story, like, I forgot more than I could ever. In a way, I always feel like it's magic to myself, but there's so many side stories and so many layers to the tournament. You've got to understand, we're bringing some time. Richie: I'm gonna go back at my family's seat next. Sam: It it's not. It doesn't even look nothing it looks nothin' like him. Richie: Yeah. Sam: Ha ha. That's incredible. That is amazing. Well done, Sue. Great work. I love it. I love it. That's superb that. Superb. Well done, Sue. Imad: I'm the type of person, I don't know if he can tell in the first 10 minutes of this, where I could be driving up to Brooke, see a lad on the side of the road, pull up, where are from mate? And he'll be like, is that? Yeah. And then we'll get talking, I'll take his telephone number and in three months I'm gonna call him. And he might be like a lad from uni who's just come to do a course and all of a sudden he's told me he's from Gambia. Richie: And yeah, it was just... I'm just sat here thinking now, thinking... And anyway, so I have messaged my mum and said, Mum, that's not even me. goes, I know, just did it to be funny. I was like, because I like to keep my birthday cards and stuff, Jimmy. I don't put them in the bin. I've got a box and stuff and I've got loads going back years. ⁓ And then I've got that pitch that isn't me just with my big bald head on it for life now. Yeah, cheers, mum. Sam: Hahaha! Richie: Looks at you like you've got ten heads and then goes, what? Sam: ⁓ Kevin. Imad: then I put him onto the Gambian lads and he goes and trains with the Gambian team he makes friends with the Gambian lads like they become kind of a family I can't explain like I don't know if you've played well I'm guessing you've played amateur football in your time but you know like the camaraderie in the changing room or it doesn't even need to be an amateur team it

could just be like Sam: Amazing, amazing. I remember one remember one time when me and Catherine had been on a bit of a a night out in Liverpool and we came home and ⁓ I heard a shout from our downstairs bathroom and it was Catherine. She's going, Coming out me, coming out me I'm like, Well, what's the matter? What's matter? And ⁓ It's amazing. Richie: Yes, yes, yes. Sam: She was a bit drunk 'cause she'd slid off the side of the toilet, but where the side of the toilet was was a wall, so she'd wedged herself between the toilet and the wall. She's like, Help me up, help me up, help me up. ⁓ I did, yeah, did I got a photo and then it ended up on the front of her 40th birthday card. And her mum went absolutely mental. She went ape shit. I bought two cards, a nice one and that one. But her mum was like, You shouldn't be taking pictures of her like that. Honestly, I was just howling, mate. Imad: kick about with your mates on like when you get there that little five or ten minutes before you start and everyone's paying subs or putting the bibs on or whatnot that that's like that's that's part of the like the the yeah yeah Richie: Me and sugar the foe see That's my favourite bit sometimes, know, that little bit where I haven't seen someone for a week like, hey mate, what's going on? Like, you know what mean? I'm like, and then some people like, gonna fucking tell you we're doing one tonight. Do you know what I mean? Yeah, course, of course it is, aye yeah. Why? Imad: Yeah, if I could explain to Richie: ⁓ I wouldn't have bought it buying two, I would have just doubled down on one. Imad: Yeah, but it's all love, isn't it? Yeah, well, what I would say to you is, and I'll come back to... There was a doctor, I've got to call her a doctor to be honest with you because I remember I called her by her first name and she fumed on me. There's a doctor who basically wanted to do an article on us. Sam: howling mates, honestly. I was she wasn't happy like but and I bought her a really nice one, so you know. Anyway. Speaking of aggro, fucking Perry's stitched me up. Yeah, yeah. Richie: No. What's happening there? Sam: He's ⁓ tried to sneak Vog around the house to go and meet his mates. 'Cause I'm the it's my fault. No, it's my fault that yeah, my fault. 'Cause I take him the match. Mate, I le I let him ⁓ it's 'cause I let him have a smell enough ice at the match after the match. It's my fault now, 'cause he thinks he's the big boy now he wants to drink. Richie: So, how has he stitched you up though? Isn't that just like normal kib? It's your fault. You better be careful, you're still in the house. Imad: and she said basically, it could be negative, it could be positive, I'm gonna come, I'm gonna write up a report and explain what I see kind of thing. she came to World in One City Four, obviously we've had World in One City Five now, but the articles only just come out and there's so many words I don't understand, she's used the proper theosaurus for it, however, the gist of it, and she hits the nail on the head, it's like we're celebrating a... Richie: Yeah, but a spinoff vices is lemonade being realistic, isn't it Jeremy? And then, was there a bottle of spinoff vodka? How big? Sam: ⁓ there you go. Yeah, yeah. ⁓ seventy sear later. A bottle and a half actually. So long story short, basically, ⁓ a few people came back to ours after the last game of the season, Liverpool game, and ⁓ Richie: Over and at least in a vodka. Sam: Perry had ran out of Smirnoff Ice's, so one of our mates went yeah, I was I'll go on and order him a couple of bottles of Smirnoff Ice off one of those delivery, late night delivery ones. Fourteen quid for two two of the big bottles of Smirnoff Ice, right? Fourteen quid. But anyway, someone at the other end had made a fucking gross error because they sent two bottles of Smirnoff Vodka for fourteen quid. So we were like sound, nice one, happy days. Then Perry thought that that was his then. So he was taking it out to fucking go meet his mates. And I was just like, lad, honestly, you can't be doing that, you know. Imad: like it's it's crazy it's like everyone's playing for the country but it's in a it's in an environment where you can all share like we're all together if in a mad way and i don't know how she worded it i don't even know if i'm talking wham right now but the way she yeah it's hard it's like it's a celebration of your heritage but you kind of it's not it's not in a like in a way where it's like we're from here and you're from there it's like in a joyful way Richie: No, I can get what you're saying, I know, yeah. Thanks lads! Sam: I was like, what you gotta remember is say you and your mates you're going down to like fucking the marina or something and you one of your mates is pissed and jumps in and drowns. That's your fucking fault 'cause you've provided them with a vodka. Imad: You've got lads from Butol coming down celebrating with Yemen when Yemen scored a goal again. Do know what I mean? It's like, whoa. It's crazy. Richie: That's just lovely though, isn't it? That's just like, that's football, isn't it? That's football. Did he realise it was not smear enough ice, it was vodka? Sam: Richie, honestly mate, do know what? Me and Perry went up, so I explained to him on the phone when I spoke to him about World in One City Five was happening right in the middle when I was doing my bike challenge last year. So me and Perry would jump on our bikes, we'd ride up to Otterspool, up to Jericho Lane up there. We'd watch the tournament, we'd watch the two games, it two games a night, and then we'd ride back home again. And it gave us such motivation to get back on our bikes, because mate, let me tell you, right? Yeah, of course he did. Of he did, yeah, of course he did. 'Cause he was drinking it on the night with fucking Fanta Lemon, so he knows what he he knows what he was doing, yeah. Richie: Hahahaha ⁓ Sam: Cheeky little shit. Cheeky bastard, honestly. But it's my fault 'cause I let

him drink at the footy now. So apparently it's my fault. 'Cause I let him drink at the footy, it's my fault. So I got I got it in the neck, so Richie: I actually think that's actually quite... I actually think and listeners again, feedback is always wanted here, okay? We love the feedback. We don't wanna be controversial. We just wanna be, try a bit of a common sense approach. But in my opinion Sam, you letting him have a little bit of alcohol, okay? You use that term lightly, right? Sam: Some of the fucking people that turn up to watch those games mate are fucking crazy by the way. They turn up, mate honestly, drums, fucking smoke flares, honestly mate it goes off, it goes off. Richie: ⁓ my god. So when's the next one? ⁓ Imad: You've got you've got Can I can I can I can I So so in in in make it world in 135 obviously we need we wanted to Basically I don't even know it you'll find in this I don't I keep chopping and changing through stories, but coming back to the world in 135 was Richie: in a controlled environment, showing them that it's okay, showing them how to do it casually and all that sort of stuff rather than having to binge it and all that. It's probably one of the better ways to introduce them to it because he's going to do it anyway eventually. How old is he now? 14? I'm shocked it's taken him this long to sneak for a crowd to be brutally honest with you. Don't worry, don't worry. Sam: Yeah, yeah, fourteen. Imad: Everybody says to me, wow, you've done so well with World in 165. Like you made it so much bigger, but really I was half on the verge of not having World in 165. Like I said, to use the countdowns are very mad. And so with World in 165, was like, okay. But I went to Morocco for a little holiday and while I was in a cafe, just had like, okay, I can't let it, like five years such a milestone year. Let's make it bigger in terms of. Sam: Yeah. I mean to be fair, he's just s he is a sensible lad, but he just needs to remember where he needs to remember that not all of his mates are as he's a big lad and he you know, he's he can handle a few things. Some of his mates aren't. Do you know what I mean? They're fucking tiny and a couple of fucking things of odd coming and they'll be well gone, do you know what I mean? It's just it's just bless you. So ⁓ Richie: You can handle it. Yeah. ⁓ Sorry, sorry guys But no, you know, but like I actually think and again feedback as always guys is Sam's method right or is it like or should it be zero tolerance until they're old enough? Yeah, again, love the feedback, please. Yeah now Sam's method a controlled sensible environment with a group of people Showing them that's okay to drink just casually have a few beers and go home Or in this case of smear enough ice Imad: bring more teams in, but let's make it a straight knockout. So usually for the first four years, what we had was 16 teams and kind of the old Euro, you know, the Euro, the European, not the Champions League, the Euro Cup, where 16 teams, four groups, top two go through, A plays B, blah, blah, blah, kind of thing. Whereas last year what we done was we added a fair there, 12 nations, we had straight knockouts. The previous four winners had buys. Sam: Let's hear what yeah, let's hear what everyone's got to say. I mean I don't Yeah. Yeah. Richie: and or leave them till when they're 18 they're going to be sneaking around doing all sorts of like even I get to in my opinion here like his mates like oh we're gonna have a drink tonight he's like yeah I can just do I can I go to pub with my dad on a satay at Grava do that that would be the that would be my mindset or is a total zero tolerance until they're 18 where they're going to be doing all sorts behind your back Imad: and then it kind of worked its way out. reason I've gone back to that, just so I don't get sidetracked, is one of the new nations that we incorporated was Wales. And this is when you're starting to kind of claw for teams. You're like, okay, we're, what other nations? We've exhausted every avenue. Let's go for Wales, that should be pretty easy. And instead of trying to find loads of Welsh players, we kind of approached one of the Sunday league teams who had a Welsh guy. Richie: Okay. Sam: I hope so. I hope that's where he'd go with it, like but you know, you never know. But Well, my advice to him was drink dubby. He should drink dubby. Double dot G G. Douby dot g dubby dot G G and use the code word Mersey Ten for ten percent off your order. And it is delicious, by the way. It does really does work. It's very nice. ⁓ it's the ⁓ neon it's I can't remember the exact name of it, but it's like the neon ⁓ it's like pink lemonade or something. It's delicious, really nice. Couple of ice cubes in there, bang. ⁓ it's class, love it. Absolutely love it. And it does work. Richie: I probably give him a better hit in all fairness. We'll fly you around today, Sam. Imad: who used to run them and we were like, listen, the likelihood is the majority of your team have got some percentage of Welsh in them. So why don't you just come and be the Wales team? And you know what? They bought into it. They've gone on to win the national cup this year, home and bargain. ⁓ But like I said to you, they bought into it and stuff. And I remember they came to all like ⁓ the awards evening and the draw and they were like flipping, ⁓ this is a bit extreme. Sam: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. Richie: Heheheheh... I had the watermelon strawberry and it was the red dragon one the other day and it gave me a proper it gave me a proper buzz like I was like uh give me the I was like do you need to make do you know what I wish I did because I drank it like in the afternoon I should have started drinking if I drank it slowly for off the day I would have got a constant level of energy from it but Sam: Yeah, that's nice. Do know what though? Imad: and I tried to explain to them they had their first game and it was against Guinea Bissau. Now Guinea Bissau, the team,

they're very good, they're very technically good but what they are is they're so patriotic and so I'm in the changing room before every game I go into the gym like listen guys there's six to seven hundred people out there yeah use a putting world in one city's name make sure that you know Sam: Well do you what the f what I like about it is there's no crash. So no if I have like a one of these mainstream ⁓ energy drinks, like a big can of it. I won't say the name, but a big can of it. I drink that and then and then or that or the other one. The other one. ⁓ the black and green can. yeah, that's the one. ⁓ if I drink one of them, I'll Richie: of Bull Red, of Bull Red. Okay, we're big ⁓ Big ⁓ Imad: You have to respect the tournament, you are representing your country, that type of malarkey kind of thing. And you go into the Guinea-Bissau changing room and I'm like, they're all looking at you, so fierce, like they're ready to go to war. And then I go into the Wales changing room and they're all just like, lads, like they have no care for Wales whatsoever. And I sat them down and I was like, listen, boys, I know you just play on a Saturday and a Sunday at very top levels. Sam: feel great for a bit, but then I'll have an absolute proper crash. Whereas on Dobby, I don't get a crash at all. There's no crash at all. So Richie: Yeah. Okay, there's a sale. Listen, if you fancy something a bit different other than if you didn't see any drinks like Rob, like Bull Red, like you know, if you fancy something different, I'm not saying Dobby's not necessarily a thing for you, just have a little drink and see how you get on. Sam: Yeah. And you know what? A pound of serving. It works out as a pound of serving. It'd be less than that if you use your code word Mersey Ten and get ten percent off. It'd be less than a pound of serving. Do you know what I mean? Well good. Well good. Imad: But this is not what you are used to. You are going to play against guys that genuinely believe that they are representing Guinea-Bissau. know what mean? When yous go out and do the national anthems now, they're gonna know every single word. They're gonna have people in the crowd with flags that, that, if they go out, they're getting slaughtered for it. So take that into consideration in how you approach this game and be ready for, you know, 60 minutes of meh. Richie: I wonder what it takes out of it. I wonder what happens if you put Vodka in a movie? Yeah, let's ask Ferdy to go and get him! To be fair, that's like, it's actually quite a contentious subject what we've just spoken about, it? Like, when you're starting to do your kids the things, you know, just in, I mean just in general, Sam. Sam: Yeah He'll know what's going on. He'll know what's going on. Richie: for fucking war. Sam: It's difficult, innit? It's difficult because like you don't want to be that parent where you're like, No, you can't do that because if you do that, they're just gonna push back on you and just be like, Do

you know what? Not asked, not asked at all Whereas I think, you know, if you introduce it slowly at like parties and things like that and you know, you just try and you know, bring it in here and there. Mate, honestly, mate, some of the fucking games, they honestly, some of the tackles and that that fly in. I thought to myself, said, hey, come on, let's go and watch this. it won't be like the standard. I thought the standard would be decent, mate, the standards top fucking quality, but mate, they take it fucking serious. Honestly, mate, they take it serious, mate. Imad: Yeah, thank you. Richie: course. Imad: The lesson is that the teams that don't have, you've got to, like for example, my dad never ever come, I'm a football fanatic. My dad never come to watch me play. Not in a sob story, but he was out working and he didn't have time. And he's also like second generational Yemeni here. So he came here when he was 16. So where is my mate from school? Richie: I need to go, I need to go, I'm going the next one. Sam: Honestly, mates. And and listen, I'd if he's gonna go out drinking with his mates, I'd rather he comes here and does it here where I can see him doing it so I know exactly how much he's at. You know, and then you can control you can control the situation then. Do you know what I mean? Whereas if he's out in the streets in a park with his mates drinking fuck knows what, you know, with God knows who, y it's it's it's more it's I'd rather have him and I've said that to him, I like, Listen, if you're gonna do that, I'd rather just come here, sit in our garden if the weather's nice, have a couple of drinks, just so I can Richie: control the environments. Imad: whose mum and dad were brought up here, they kind of know the way. He goes to football training there, he does that. I had to do everything like that myself kind of thing. not that he didn't, my dad's the best dad in the world, but he just didn't have that type of time to come and watch me play footy. However, know, coming to watch me play, walking out in the Yemen kit, he's going with his mates, this is the closest that they're gonna get to a Yemen national team. Do you know what I mean? So the fans take it serious, which then. Sam: s know that you're not going overboard and and out of control. Richie: Mm-hmm. And that way as well, like you know, if some parents say like, know, some parents might say, yeah, it's okay, you can go around to Sam's house, have a couple of spin off ices. And other parents can say no then, and again, they can control the environment, can't they? Do know what I mean? And that's what it's all about, it's big, because like, it's not like it was when we were kids. Do you know what mean? It's different now, isn't it? So. Sam: Yeah, exactly. Exactly. Imad: It's infectious to the players and it's one of those going back to the camaraderie because we did go off topic. What I was going to say to you is I've been in some amazing changing rooms throughout me whole like

call it football career. But the feeling of being in the changing room with 19 other Yemeni lads who have all had the same type of upbringing as me. They've all gone through the same struggles as me. They've all probably Sam: Yeah, it is, it is. It is. I mean, ⁓ I'm not being funny, I can't exactly sit here and be the face of innocence when I used to stand outside off licenses going, Excuse me mate, would you buy me some ⁓ would you buy me some ale? Do you know what I mean? So Richie: courses. No, I know, yeah, but you know that, but like we said, if we can encourage it from a younger age, that like it's okay and introduce it slowly in a safe environment, you're gonna get back what a safe environment, dad, do you know what I mean? But at least you can control it and then say like, look, we're more than happy if it's a chill out in our garden. I make sure you tell, I wanna speak to all your friends, mum and dad, to make sure they're all cool with it. Imad: going to school and being, you know, potentially the odd kid and then they go home and they've got to live that lifestyle and then they, do know what I'm saying? And just like, I grew up in changing rooms and it was a bit like, I was so shy to take me me boxies off to go in the shower. So lads would go in the shower fully bollaco and I'd be there with me boxies on like, whoa, this is a bit mad. Do you know what I mean? Where there's, like, just certain things with culture and that like, it just all, and then you just win a game. Sam: Yeah, exactly. Exactly. Richie: and you know rather than going and sitting in the park hiding in trees away from the police and members of the public and then next thing you know the pissed ass around in the park and next thing you know next thing you know knock at the door you've got the fence at the door haven't you saying here's this little swat yeah Sam: Yeah. Yeah. Cause causing aggro. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Hahaha Richie: Mm-hmm. Sam: Or or or another parent saying, Why the fuck do you know what I Why is your Perry giving my lad vodka? Do you know what I mean? It's like fucking hell. So But anyway, he got f he got forgiven and he got told and he got told why and once I explained to him our point of view, he sort of went, Alright, yeah, I get it. And I was like, Good, fair enough. Yeah, exactly. That's the main part, isn't it? So that's the main part. Imad: and everyone's like the it's genuine elation in the changing rooms the fans come in with the drums user singing user dancing I can't explain it honestly it's like you're in a different you're in a different world and that's me playing it so you're organizing it and then obviously I always make Yemen's games on Thursday so that I do how the tournament runs Monday is group A Tuesday group B Wednesday group C and Thursdays group D Richie: supplied all these fuck I know. Fair enough, that's all you can ask for isn't At least he understands the why. It's been a bit of an emotional week though for Paddy, so he's tried

the next Vodka, Al D'Als and any other football presentation, he? Imad: But every team knows that Yemen will always be in Group D, so they get drawn out in Group D first, and that's so that I can run the whole tournament. And then on Thursday, run me arse off and have them three days recovery as a 37 year old. Sam: Well yeah, so we've we've touched on touched on the previous episode that he's decided to take a break, or I it was might the episode before that, he decided to take a break from his football team, been with them nine years, been the captain for nine years, and he had his final football presentation and he plays at centre half, central defender. So as they were g each kid gets a trophy and the manager does a little speech about each kid. So he started off at the goalkeepers, then he did the left back, then he did the right back, then he did the other two centre halfs, then moved on to the midfielders, did all the midfielders, did the Love it, love it, absolutely love it. Imad: Yeah. Richie: How long does it take? So, so, how long does it take from start to finish? What's the timeframes? Just to let the people know. That's perfect, innit? Imad: It takes exactly a month. Like I said, when we come back with... So we've took a year off this year, obviously with the World Cup being on. I'm a massive fan of the World Cup myself and I wanted to... And like I said two years again with the come downs, I feel like it was a time to potentially come away from it a little bit, have a little debrief, have a... Sam: Strikers and left Perry till last and gave this really emotional sort of like he's been here nine years, he'll always be part of the Stanny, he's part of the fabric of the Stanny. ⁓ you know, he'll always have a place in this team whenever he wants to come back, whether that's next week, next year, two years, he can walk back into this team no problem. He must have won in the nine years he's been here, he must have won the player of the year half amount half of those times every season, and you know, and he gave this really sort of passionate, you know, Perry is the. Imad: you know, rethink how can we make it even bigger and better? Yeah, kind of thing. How can we fund it more sustainably? Like it's all self-funded as well. So it's got to the point where the first World in One City cost me four grand all in. And I remember people were like, no, I'm not spending four grand on the tournament. honestly, like lads go on holiday. I've said this quite a lot. The lads go on holiday and you know, they go to Marbella, they go to... Richie: What are the lessons learned? What are the, yeah. Sam: standing and it'll always be welcome back sort of thing. And I was just like recording it just like woo looking like a tear rolling down my face 'cause I was ⁓ my God, like this is like nine years of Perry's life he's given to this. And obviously I've gone Richie: Aww. Sam: quite a lot of those times, you know, to watch him and lifts here and there and training and you know, any parent out there who's got kids who do like dance or football or rugby or anything, they've got a hobby. It it it's it's a lot of investment, a lot of time gets invested into it. A hundred percent, mate, a hundred percent. So like, you know, like I'd say it's been like a bit of a joint venture between me and Perry, like trying to like, you know, get a Imad: Dubai and they spend four grand before they even get off the airport and that's their way of, you know, that's their enjoyment. Yeah, this was like for me, I seen it as like, wow, I'm living my dream. But every year the tournament got bigger and costs got more, you know, but like I said, there was a couple of times where we struck gold, obviously with, I don't know if you're aware, Nivea. Richie: Mm. Sam: You just organise a football tournament, World Cup style football tournament instead, yeah. Richie: from both, not just the kid, from the parents as well, isn't it? Sam: You know, those nine years has been like a bit of a joint thing, I'd say. ⁓ and yeah, I was a little bit gutted, but that the speech that his manager Bucko gave was really, really nice. It was really nice. I'll try and insert it in at the a after this section if I can, like, and ⁓ so people can hear it. But it was really nice, yeah. Imad: got involved in the third world in one city and he promoted us beautifully with Trent Alexander Arnold and stuff like that that elevated us again. So yeah, I always go off topic. don't like talking about that. Yeah. So yeah. Richie: So. Don't worry, don't worry, don't worry, it's absolutely fine. Yet, just out of curiosity though Sam, has he got any intention of going back? Sam: Mate, this is what this is all about, mate. This is what this is all about. You just carry on, mate. You crack on. Richie: You wouldn't believe the amount of times me and Sam start waffling about some shite that's got nothing to do with anything so don't worry. Yeah. Sam: Think he will, you know. I think he I think he would. I think he would. Imad: If I can have on the right podcast then ⁓ So yeah, it's pretty much I forget what it is that we would actually like delving into there. But yeah, it's Yeah, so there's been there's been there's been there's been quite a few ups and downs as you can imagine where we've took a loss here and we've we've made a little you know profit there or whatever but ultimately Richie: I think he'll miss it once the season starts back up. He sees the group chats going off and people playing and stuff like that. might give him... I don't know how to say this, but he doesn't know what he's lost until it's gone, does he? Sam: You definitely are, mate, you definitely are. You're saying we're going to send this year? Yeah. Richie: The costs, you've got to about the costs, like, near via cost, near via sponsored fee, yeah. Sam: Yeah yeah. Hope yeah, I think so. I I think he'll be back. But yeah, ⁓ at the end of the day I don't wanna force anything on him. It has to be

his decision. He has to do what he feels right for him, you know. So we'll go from there. We'll go from there. But on the way back from the presentation, something fucking absolutely amazing happened, Rich. And when I say amazing, I mean like incredible, incredible scenes. Richie: because... yeah, I get that. Imad: It got to a point where it was like, okay, look, we've got this gem right now. The other thing is, after five years, you get a lot of people that, with all due respect to you, they become slightly entitled. They become slightly, you know, it's expectant. And all the people involved in World in One City, they're all volunteers. Nobody gets paid for anything. It's hard for me, it's not their dream, the staff, it's my dream. And trying to... Richie: No, fuck it, no. Sam: Catherine walked into a lamppost and and fell onto her arse. Genuinely, like bounced, bounced off this lamppost and fell onto her ass. So the car went past us going, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep. Catherine being a nosy twat, going, Who's that? Who's that? And as she's turned round like that, she's carried on walking forward, and as she's come back round, mate, the lamppost was just there. And it sort of hit like her shoulder, and like it if good jobby didn't hit her square on, because it would have fucking hurt like it was almost like her shoulder. Imad: I find it difficult, you know, it was, it's hard to kind of rejuvenate the staff to go again and go again and go again. And sometimes as it's getting bigger, you're getting different people in your crowds who you don't really know. It's not like the first and second and third year. Now we're, now we've got people coming from all over the place and you kind of got to, before it gets, before it becomes too rogue, come away, reevaluate how it's gone, get, get, get, get, Richie: Hahaha Sam: Shoulder and like a bit of a side of her face here, and she's bounced off this fucking lamppost, mate. Ended up on her ass. Mate, that was it. I was in half. I was lent up against the wall. I was crying. I couldn't breathe. Finn was on his back on the pavement with his legs in the air, howling, and Catherine was making it worse. Well stop laughing and help me up. Stop laughing. Well that was it, mate. I was gone even more. Some fella had to walk down the road, no prop, because I was absolutely gone. I was in bits. Absolute bits. ⁓ mate, ten minutes later my sides were hurting so much from just laughing my absolute ass off. Richie: Hehehehehe Imad: stack all your information, all your stats and go again and that's what we kind of decided to do with the World Cups on. I'm watching every single game that I'm up at five o'clock in the morning watching Algeria versus Jordan. ⁓ just looking for some type of, know, something that can, you know, click in me. Like I'm already thinking, shall I get everyone a big massive flag so when they do the walkout, half the pitch is covered in that, know. Richie: Yeah. What the hell? Hahahaha

⁓ Mate, you need to go back down that road and see if anyone's got ring doorbell footage of it. Sam: ⁓ mate, honestly there must there I I there should be an ounce down there somewhere who's got some sort of security camera that we can get that. Yeah, Take an inspiration from the World Cup for the next tournament then, yeah. Imad: You're all of me just dreaming. Richie: Honestly mate, you need to go and take a walk down there and go down there and start ringing and saying listen, Sunday 2 o'clock, look at your footage please and get it on. Yeah. So you're taking this year off to do bit of reflection and stuff like that. Are you anticipating next year then to be the biggest yet? Imad: Yeah. Sam: Yeah. Is there any chance you've got this? Yeah. ⁓ mate, I'll ⁓ honestly it'd be class if they had like be class if they had, but yeah. I thought I'd just mention that 'cause she's like, You take the piss out of me on that podcast. Like, no, don't babe, but don't honestly it's fine. I don't, I don't. Just I'm just telling the truth. I'm just telling the truth. Imad: I've almost started to go into hibernation if I'm being totally honest because the amount of people that are devastated that it's not happening this year. I think every year I go through the same thing. I start preparing for it properly in like February and the tournament kicks off in June. I think like World in One City 5 for example. Richie: Okay. It's all good, it's not like, we don't take the piss, it's just a little bit of harmless banter. It's a bully and go banter, it's a bully and go banter. Sam: You tell me I'd say it's banter, but you know, that's just me, innit? That's just me. That was just me. I went to Foo Fighters at the weekend. Richie: Yeah. Imad: I was in Morocco in February and I was like, oh, oh, oh, and then we just went ahead and done it. And in February this year, I had no desire. I went like, oh my God, we need to get this done. And it got to like March and I was still feeling comfortable. And then I think around about April time, I think I knew in my head, but I didn't want to announce that it wasn't happening. And then I just got comfortable with it I was like, yeah, it's not on this year. We'll be back next year, bigger, badder and better. And to be honest with you, user, user. Richie: Was it a goat? Was it a goat? Sam: The gig, the Foo Fighters were brilliant. ⁓ I missed about seven songs though. Richie: I saw them in 2000 and... I saw them before COVID and at the Etihad and they were unbelievable. Sam: Yeah. ⁓ they were dead good. They were really good. But when we so we got into the ground, we're in the cop. And we got into the ground. They were due to be on stage at seven fifteen. We got in about five past seven. The cues for the ale were massive. ⁓ Richie: think it's actually quite sensible. What you've done, I think it's actually quite sensible. Pull away, reevaluate, then start, for example, you might be able to start in September this year. Give yourself a bit

space throughout the summer. Have a June for yourself, do you what I mean? Just go to work, come home, see your family and all that sort of stuff. then just start, maybe start prepping it in June, in September this year. Start getting... Imad: Sorry, come on. Richie: Yeah, there's no point in even... Do you know what's wrong with my time? I go to like... I've been to the boxing and stuff over in Liverpool and I've been to a fair few gigs and stuff like that. There's no point in even going. Otherwise you miss... You can miss an hour generally getting a drink. Sam: Well, I miss I literally missed seven songs. I was in the queue for forty minutes getting a drink. I missed seven songs. It was just like, honestly, it was just and the thing is, like like no offence to no offences meant when I say this, but all the ki they were kids, basically, behind these counters. They were kids. I don't think anybody was older than twenty four, twenty five. And none of them had any urgency at ⁓ all. I mean none of them had any urgency. They're all just moping round and walking round. It's like if you actually Imad: It's like it's like you've read my notes in my phone mate That's pretty much you've hit the nail on the head Richie: Fuck it all. Sam: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha Richie: Hahahaha ⁓ Let's- Don't know something about that, if you need any help mate I'll happily happily help you, I really will. Imad: Every work, honestly, everybody, we kind of, it's, it's, it genuinely is just a dream. Like I can't explain to you as if I, if I'm in my house now, but if I took you upstairs to what I call the dungeon and I showed you where I planned this. Like genuinely, I mean, I was in my bedroom during COVID with a broken table and I don't want to sound like I'm, you know. Richie: with no real bar experience. No. Sam: worked a little bit quicker, you'd sell so much more fucking ali. Do you know what I mean? Richie: ⁓ keep it PG. Yeah, well they're not arsed though are they? Because they're on minimum wage and then they're not seeing the food fighters outside, they're serving you, well all they can hear is like the best of you going on. Sam: Hahaha Imad: you know the poor man's hero I feel like I'm trying to say this but it genuinely genuinely I wish I documented it you know so I could like the things that I've gone through in the process it's been there's the play inside of things there's the organizing side of things I'm going to meet a guy from Vietnam in in a chippie in town and then I'm going to the flippin I'm being honest with you that's what it's like it's like it's so many different like Richie: No, no, no, Sam: You Imad: Scenarios that I find myself in and I'm like and then it gets towards we have these group meetings where the managers from every team comes and we sit down and everyone's talking and you feel like you're a UN meeting and it's just it's amazing, bro We have we have something called the last supper. We call it It's dubbed the last supper and it's the day so the Sunday the tournament always starts on a Monday So the the Sunday before all the managers have to all go for the scran paid for by the world in one city, but it's kind of Sam: yeah, the staff were just ⁓ I don't know, they were just weren't just were didn't seem interested. ⁓ Richie: I've got a question to ask you guys. If you were in today's day and age, in 2026, how interested would you be? Honestly, I wouldn't give a rat's ass if I'm honest with you. Sam: Not v not very, not very. No, but at the end of the day, Liverpool football club should give a fucking shit because number one, if they serve quicker, they make more money. And the whole point of putting these concerts in is at LFC make money. Because that's the whole point of doing them in the first place. But number two, the people who go to these concerts will then be like, I actually had a good experience at Anfield, where a lot of people are coming out going fucking forty, forty five minutes to fucking get a bevy. It's 'cause all also as well, the queues, the way we were, the cop concourse, we're on the second tier in the cop concourse. Richie: Loftah. Imad: It's my way of reminding everyone before the chaos starts and everyone starts throwing their two pence in of why they've been robbed. Listen guys, we're all human. We're all going back to our day jobs after this one month of... Don't start any conspiracy theories honestly. Listen, I've had the luck. I'm trying to explain to people, you know like... Richie: Yeah. course. How many times have you been robbed? Sam: EHAHAHAHA hahahaha Richie: I never. Imad: I was telling you about Yemen playing on Thursdays. In the first two years it was okay, but then after year three people were like, why do Yemen always play on Thursdays? Do know what I mean? Look boys, if Yemen played on Mondays, there'd be no tournament on Tuesday, me. Honestly. So yeah. Sam: There's eight tills on each thing. They only had four of them open. Richie: Well that's an issue in itself really. If you had all eight open the half in that time to 20 minutes straight away are they? I think that's more of bad management really and maybe even staffing levels. Sam: Hehehehehe Yeah, it wouldn't happen. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Exactly. ⁓ it's mad. But you know what? should honestly, mate, like from somebody who has come up and has watched it from the sidelines with me lad, me and him used to love it, mate. Honestly, like proper dad and lad time, we'd come up and we'd stand there watching the footy. Also they've got the cafe open there so people can get a scram and some food and that and some drinks and stuff. And and and then which which blew my fucking mind and it pissed me off. I was like they do they were doing these two pints of this lager that I had never heard of, right? But they also had Paretti on draft. So I just went, Any chance we could I could have a two pint of Paretti, please? And ⁓ I just went, two pint of paretti, please. Richie: No, no,

no. Don't know, so I... Imad: Yeah, I suppose. Sam: They went to give me two single pints. I went no no, a two pint of cup. I want two of the two pinter cups. I waited forty minutes, not coming back again. Give me two of the two pint cups, I want four pints. We don't do the paretti in the two pint cups. Why? Honestly, but the atmosphere, honestly, some of the games, the atmosphere was wild. was, you should be dead proud of what you've like achieved. And as far as the taking a break thing goes, I think the taking a break thing is fucking well deserved because just watching it, fucking how you've done that for five years in a row and organised that mate is absolutely un-but-fucking-label. You deserve a fucking year off this year, trust me. But I reckon Richie, what do you reckon to this Richie? So I reckon. Imad: Thank you. Richie: Just charge me for four pints please. Sam: Why? Why don't you fucking do Paretti in the two pint cups? What's that about? We only do this one in the two pint cups. I'm just like, what the fuck is going on? Rich, honestly, mate, it was I was just like, fucking what is going on here? What are you doing? It honestly it was it it put a real fucking dampener on a decent night, do you know what I mean? It really did. And genuinely considering, and look I'm not one to fucking moan and stuff, but as a fucking season ticket holder at Liverpool, I feel like I should email them and say, listen Imad: Yeah. Yeah. Richie: I don't see what the difference is, just charge it for four pints. Imad: Yeah. Sam: World in one city six, I reckon we go up and cover it and we report on it for the podcast. What do you I reckon we'd come up and I reckon we report on it and fucking yeah. Richie: Yeah. Yeah. Imad: That would be amazing. Honestly, that would be amazing. I don't want to come across ⁓ arrogance in any way, shape or form, but I think with the world in one city, it's so hard to explain what it is. It's a whole lot harder. Yeah. Sam: Your your the sir the the event side of things, yeah. The service of a match day is a million times better than that. That service that night was appalling. Absolutely appalling. Like so slow. So so slow. Ridiculous. But the problem is people who only wanted a fucking glass of water that Liverpool had advertised they give them for free. They had to queue in the same queue as everyone was queuing for the ale. So people who are wanting three cups of water had to wait forty minutes as well just for water. Richie: Event side is like... until you come and watch it. Sam: I, do you know what? I've tried to explain it to people like in work and that and they're like, but what do you mean? I'm like, well, it's different nations. but what, what do you, and I'm like, they all live like within the Liverpool city region, but it's like, they're like, what? And I'm like, I don't want it. I'll write it down. Shall I? Honestly, this is like. Richie: Yeah. Imad: Yeah. Richie: I think it's absolutely class, I really do and hats

off to you for doing it mate, I can't wait for next year and in some way or form I'd love to be a part of it, I really would. Imad: Yeah, it's crazy. It's so much. Richie: They need to sort that out, don't they? Maybe a little email to them might actually like almost let them rethink and see what the failings are so they can keep going and go again and learn from their mistakes unless they're told. Do know what mean? But I imagine a lot of people, like some people just aren't asked about the complaints, are they? No. Imad: Thank you. Sam: Shocking, isn't it? Imad: 100 % 100 % We'll invite you to, you know we have quite a lot of balls so we have something called the Ballon d'Or which is very self explanatory but after each tournament we give out the awards blah blah blah kind of thing and they're like such a extravagant event we had like John Barnes show up to one, Bruce Grabalaar showed up to one they're very erm, you don't know who's coming through the door kind of thing and we're just like yeah come in kind of Sam: They need to do something. These No, they don't give a shit, do they? Don't give a shit, but but but no, it was ⁓ but then so that was good. The foo fighters were class, they were really good. And then ⁓ obviously the Sandon, so we went to the Sandon before the gig and it afterwards, and I wanna give a big, big shout out to Danny Jozer and all the staff in the Sanden because they were absolutely fucking first class. So I messaged Danny on Friday and said, Listen, there's five of us Richie: Yeah. Yeah. Sam: It's amazing. Richie: I love that, I love it. Honestly, we'll have to, obviously when you start setting it up, we'll reach out and we'll do some collaboration and like, you know, and... Imad: Yeah. 100 % Sam: Any chance you can reserve us a table in like the coldest part of the pub? And he went, mate, there isn't a cold part in this fucking pub, but I'll try my best. And bless him, he reserved us a table right by the big French doors. We opened up the French doors so the breeze was coming in. Absolutely sound. That was before the gig. After the gig, again he reserved the table for the five of us. But we because we were in the very back of the cop, it took us ages to get out of the ground. So by the time we got back to the sand and and obviously the England game had kicked off at this point. And what we'll also do as well is we'll maybe get you back on again, maybe sort of, if we say sort of April time, just before World in One City Six is about to kick off again and you can tell us about who's involved and that and blah, blah, blah, you know. Imad: Yeah, closer to the time. I think, 100%. What I'd like to say to you as well is obviously thank you so much for the opportunity. I know when we first originally spoke, like I've mentioned previously, we were still humming and aahing about whether we were going to do it or not. And eventually we came to a decision where we weren't. And I was explaining to my good friend Sam, you know, please. Sam: It was absolutely fucking heaving in the pub. And we found the she they'd moved our table this time to where the telly was so we could see the football better. Bless them. So we've walked in and we've seen the sign on the reserve thing, but there's like six or seven people sat at the table and I thought, We can't kick these people off of this fucking table either. Well, Josza fucking marches down to the end of the bar. Oi you lock, get off that table. Come on, it's reserved, move, get off. So these people have fucking get up. Imad: I'd love to come on so I could kind of speak and get it out there even more and credit to yourselves for still having me on to kind of speak about it and I'd love to come on again closer to that. Richie: No, no, no, because we'll get you on again. also, mine's on the Mersey. Mine's on the Mersey as well. We do want to come along and we want to do some, we want to see people, we want to speak to people and then we want to come on here like on the night we record, want to man scored a hat trick last night. Last one was offside though. Do know what mean? Do you know what I mean? Sam: Well listen, you're not just here for world in one city either. Imad: Just that tape before... Sam: Walk past us to them so we can then fucking sit down on this table, mate. Honestly, mate, I was just like, people are looking at us, right? And I'm like, and then Josh says to me, she goes, I've got you this table because it's right at the very end of the bar. So when you want to drink, don't come round to the front of the bar and queue. Just pick poke your head up here and ask us and we'll serve you. And I was like, Okay. So every time we needed a drink, mate, we poke our fucking head up over the side of the bar and we get served before the queue. Richie: I mean, if you reserve a table, you reserve a table, mate. It's right, isn't it? Imad: Hold yourself. Sam: Heheheheh, hahahaha! Imad: I'll leave his with something funny, yeah? ⁓ perfect then. won't leave his. I'm happy. I was... have my dreams to play for Yemen, my dreams to score for Yemen. I've not scored a goal in open play, so every goal came from a penalty in the whole five years. I'm a striker, and it's just never materialised for me, honestly. It's got to the stage. Richie: We're not going yet, we've still got a whole day to go, you know? Sam: Wait, ⁓ you're just, you ain't going yet, you ain't going yet. Richie: Ugh. Sam: Mate, some of the looks we got. Honestly, some people wanted to fucking kill us. Mate, genuine I genuinely, this is not a fucking lie, right? Genuinely the truth, one woman come up to me and said, Excuse me, are you the owner of the bar? And I was like, No, I'm not a love. But the amount of money I've spent in here over the past ten years, I might as well be. Because I've come in here after the football every game for the past ten years. So trust me, I've spent enough money in here. Richie: Probably thought you were like gods in there or something. Sam:

Really? the ⁓ Richie: I think we might need to bench you. Need to get some help now, sorry. Imad: Yeah, well, ⁓ I've been in the last, so it's really like the World Cup. So you can imagine we have trials for the Yemen team, lads want to come and play. And it's always your 20 get selected. And I'm like, ⁓ I'm like, I'm not as good as Cristiano, but I'm like Ronaldo. You know those situations that Ronaldo's got now where they're like, why is he, he's only getting picked because it's his tournament. ⁓ And I'm starting to feel like that myself, can't lie. Richie: Do you what I'm saying mate? They're just looking after their own. Sam: Absolutely, mate. And so they should. I mean, not not so they should. They don't have to go the they mates and mate, they went to great lengths to make sure we were happy. Yeah, mate. Honestly, they proper, proper sorted us out, mate. Like we didn't want for nothing. The table was perfect. We were getting served dead quick. Honestly, they were just fucking and they were all working their arse off. Mate, I tell you what, if the staff in Anfield worked as hard as the staff in the sand and there'd be no problems, mate, you'd only be queuing you'd be queuing five minutes, you get a bo you'd get a bevy, do you know what I Richie: When they're boving a bomb for you, then yeah. You ⁓ Sam: hahahaha ⁓ Imad: So. I know, I know, but honestly, I know, but by the time the game comes, I'm getting out of it is sciatica on the Friday. Sam: I was gonna say, you're putting all the fucking leg work in, you gotta get something out of it lad. Richie: To be fair, mate, when we... When we were over there for your birthday, they made it as the same, know, they were fantastic. So go on Sam, you've obviously got something to tell us with Ant-Man Mad. Sam: hahahaha Yeah, they are class in there. They really are class. They are, they're brilliant. And yeah, I just wanted to give them a big shout out because they ⁓ they proper, proper looked after us and that. So ⁓ so yeah, Danny Josser and all the staff at the Sand and love you very much, honestly, really do. Really appreciate it. And I wore me ⁓ podcast t shirt. Shout out for the merch, by the way, t shirt studio dot com forward slash marketplace, forward slash ⁓ O T ⁓ I wore I wanted to speak to him about, obviously I knew that Liverpool was a very multicultural city, it's renowned for it. Talk to us about the Yemen community within Liverpool. Is there a big Yemen community within Liverpool? Because it's your community, it's where you're from. Tell us about that. Richie: That's presence. Imad: Yeah, well, it's I'm not the ex, although although although I've been because I've represented Yemen in the world in one city and kind of made a little bit of a name for myself amongst the Yemeni community. A lot of people would think that I'm an advocate for the Yemeni community. However, my dad is currently the one of the one of the, you know, the chairman or the assistant chairman or something of the Yemeni community just recently appointed. Sam: one of podcast t shirts and got a lot of questions. People asking about what is it? Is it blah blah blah blah. So ⁓ we'll listen to that. So yeah. So hopefully quite a few new listeners from ⁓ wearing that to there. So that was all good. Yeah. Hello if I bumped into you at Anfield and you asked me about my t shirt. Thank you very much. And if you're listening, amazing or watching. Thank you very much. Really appreciate it. ⁓ yeah, just another shout out for the merch. Give go and good go and buy some merch. Go and buy a tote bag or something 'cause Richie: Keep it keep an eye on the Mets guys because we Imad: However, I was brought up fairly away from the Yemeni community, although I'd go and visit my Nan and my Grandad and stuff like that. I went to a school in Allerton called Dovedale where a lot of the Yemenis that were brought up in the area went to schools within the area. think my Mum wanted me to get out there kind of thing. Richie: Don't get me we do this in our own time. This is like a bit of like a hobby for us and also trying to promote what we believe in as really sensitive subject of mental health and not just men, it's everyone's mental health that we're trying to do because we've had all sorts of guests from all sorts of backgrounds and stuff, but we are going to be updating the merch and we will be introducing new items and stuff like that eventually. So just keep an eye on it. You might have one t-shirt, but you might see, ⁓ we've got a different style of t-shirts, Jeremy, we've got a different disc, we might have a different hat. Keep an eye Was it more along the lines of maybe like she wanted you to fit in a bit more maybe? Is that the wrong word? Sorry. Imad: I don't... I don't... I... No, no, it's not... Feel free to say whatever you want to say. It's... I think the only way that I could put it on is now at this age, you probably really thought, let's get him out of the area and get him in a good school, per se, and maybe mingle with different people so we can broaden his horizons. It didn't work, can't lie. Do know what I mean? I was just the odd kid in school, to be honest with you. However... Richie: and it will get updated as when and if we can get round to it. Do you know what mean? Just bear with us because we are both busy and we'd also trust these for the Mersey Mine project as well, which we do again in our own time, which is a big palaver. ⁓ Sam, never gonna guess what happened. as you know, there's been a Mersey inclusion tournament. Right. Sam: Busy boys. Busy boys. Hahaha Richie: Hahahaha! ⁓ Sam: Yep, we spoke about it on the last episode, didn't we? Yeah. Richie: Yeah, yeah, and yesterday was a dark day for injuries. know, honestly, so our very own Eddie Morgan, he got... It was the weirdest 17 hours a day. Imad: ⁓ Secondary school was a bit more of a multicultural school and I started to meet a couple more Yemeni lads in school and stuff like that and then when you

leave school it just I think it just naturally happens you know things like the people you the things you eat the restaurants you'll go to and stuff like that and you just I remember being 16 years old leaving secondary school and starting to go and play in a youth center Sam: I believe so, yeah, I believe so. Didn't spend seventeen hours in A and E or something? I swear it was seventeen hours. Honestly, I swear it was seventeen hours. I'm sure it was, you know. Richie: I shouldn't laugh, I shouldn't laugh but that's it. I'm sure he said 17 hours but do you know what I mean? I've actually seen it happen with him and he's gone shoulder to shoulder with someone and next thing you know he's fractured something on his shin. My mind was blown and then Sean, our goalkeeper, he had a little bit of an episode, fainted as well. Imad: with Yemeni lads who booked the pitch at 10 o'clock and from there I was like, whoa, this is crazy. There's loads of us kind of thing. And what you'll tend to find is, so I'm third generation, my dad's second generation and my granddad came here in the sixties, but my granddad came here maybe with eight other guys. And then it's just started from them pretty much. So those eight guys have got married, their kids and their kids have had their kids. And now I remember. Sam: Wild. Jesus. Richie: Jokers, you know, again, both these guys have been on the podcast, guys. They were on episode three as well. So go back and have a listen if you want to know who we're talking about. then, okay, episode four. Episode four, guys, edit that bit out, And then, then, and then someone from Men V Fat, you know, when they were playing in their final, they, I think they snapped their ankle. Sam: Yeah. Four. Episode four. Not a free episode four. But you know. That's all right. Hahaha Imad: My generation there's not that many lads that play football. So even though we'd have a game not that many of them were good. Do you know what I mean? Like they weren't talented. They just loved football. But now like we call it the Yemen Golden generation because there's lads who are playing at academies. There's lads that are playing in the counties if you were a bit older. There's lads who are playing professionally. You know, so it's kind of... Richie: Hahaha Sam: Jesus. Richie: And do you know what mate? I think I only heard bits on the day. I think they said there was an eight hour wait for an ambulance, because it's not an agent, is it? It's not like, do know what I mean? Well, that's what people were saying to me on the day. How true that is, I don't know. And in the end, mate, they reversed the car right up to the edge of the pitch. They stretched him into the back of a car. Sam: No, it's not like you've had a heart attack or something. Imad: I think it's the way it works, know, the generations get bigger, they get become more westernized and you kind of lose the culture a little bit, but things like, you know, having a community center or people put

events on and keep you kind of within your heritage and stuff like that. And you meet people and blah, blah, blah. Kind of that. I feel like that's how it works and that's how it is for most communities. The Yemeni community is quite big within the Toxteth area. Richie: and took him to the hospital and Chris Guy, the chairman, our lovely chairman, went with them. Jeremy and I, mate, just, 17 hours in A &E for them, hour wait for an ambulance, and Sean, thank God, touched wood, he was okay. know, gonna have to shout at him every time he starts getting a bit mad and excited. But you know, so speedy recovery to all and hope yous are all okay. So. Sam: Insane mates. Ha ha ha ha ha. ⁓ Imad: It's got quite a massive community to be honest with you. Every year there's a Yemeni football tournament as well as the World Cup. After the World Cup straight away we dive into a Yemeni tournament. called where different standards, get teams together and they have a tournament and play. And I'm always surprised when I go there as a lad who was born here in the UK, how many Yemenis there are here now where they've been. Sam: Yes, absolutely. Richie: What's your office setup looking like now Sam? Sam: You're trying to get me in trouble, you aren't ya? yeah, I've spent a bit more money on teaming, mate. It's fucking looking class. Richie: I'll tell you what, right, I don't want you to do anything. What I want you to do, Sam, right, I want to photie for the podcast. Sam: All right. I've got my speakers on stands. I've so I've got loads more desk space now. Imad: born and brought up here or came here fresh from Yemen. Sam: I've got a little fan cooled laptop stand so my laptop doesn't overheat. I've got a nice twenty-seven inch monitor behind where you're looking at what I'm looking at now is a big massive twenty-seven inch monitor. Got me a little light that's making me look all bright and beautiful. It's looking fucking well good. It's looking really, really cool actually. ⁓ but yeah, more money. More ⁓ a nice comfy, nice comfy office chair with the back of it fucking vibrates and massages ya. Nice, nice. It's amazing. It's amazing. It's amazing that as you said, those eight or 10 lads or however many you said it was, they've come over and they've come over, they've stayed, they've settled here, they've made roots here, you know, and I think it's, and like, obviously, but then you've got to multiply that again. You've got Yemeni, you've got... Richie: ⁓ no, I love that. That's fantastic, that's lovely. What a story, honestly. We want, I tell you what, right, we want. Sam: all sorts of different nationalities and it's so fucking I love the fact that Liverpool is so multicultural I absolutely love it me honestly because Richie: Right, you keep, keep it PG, you keep that to yourself, whatever's happening down there, no no no, no tingling sensations here, alright alright, that old chestnut. Right, for all of us at home we want a picture of your setup please Sam, so make

sure you've hit all the pornography and stuff like that. ⁓ Imad: All of it, Sam: Lovely. No, no, no, just the back. Just the back. Just the back. Yeah. Imad: Yeah, it's amazing. I think the world's going a bit mad now. And I don't know whether we touch on stuff like this. ⁓ I remember, yeah, the world's a bit nuts. I've always been a bit ignorance is bliss. I find myself in a unique position where ⁓ I'm a scouser. I consider myself a scouser more than I consider myself anything else. ⁓ Richie: We can always edit it after I'm joking. Sam: try and get one on the socials. I will try and get one on the socials if I can. Have you I want just quickly before we head to the break, something I wanted to ⁓ to bring up. Have you seen this ⁓ in Jersey they have the Jersey FA, so ⁓ the Chinese Channel Islands Jersey. Hahaha Imad: I think growing up in the 90s when social media wasn't a thing and kind of just watching adults around me and just like trying to figure out what the hell is life about kind of thing and growing up in you know areas where I'd go to school and it was predominantly white and then I'd come back home and be eating Arabic food and then I'd go to dance and music and I'd be with people from West Indies and things like that. Richie: I'm just putting it up here now. Sam: They've made sense they've created sensory bags for people attending football matches in case of a sensory overload and stuff. Obviously with Finn being autistic and obviously I've recently been diagnosed autistic. I just seen the story and I thought that's incredible, that it's really, really good. so yeah, I just wanted to like quickly like ⁓ touch on it because it's that would be yeah, we should actually. That would be really good. ⁓ Richie: to get overwhelmed. I love that. I wonder, should we reach out to them and see if we can get one? Imad: And then to now, it's just like the line of work that we do and kind of understanding and knowing asylum seekers and kind of watching them come to the country and seeing that they're coming from war-torn countries here trying to look for a better way. They don't want to harm them and they don't want to do anything other than, you know, live a peaceful life and kind of I've always been so proud of being from Liverpool. Sam: So yeah, the Jersey of Football Station and Autism Jersey have launched a badge containing items that could help children and adults self-regulate and overstimulating environments, including football matches. Each bag would include ear defenders to dampen the noise of the crowd, sensory balls and fidget toys they added. I just think it's a really good idea by introdu introducing sensory bags alongside autism jersey. We hope to make the sport more accessible and positive for supporters. I just think it's a really a really positive step f forward for autistic people wanting to to because I know with Finn, especially when he was younger, not so much these days, but when he was younger, loud noises mate, not happening.

Just wouldn't go. Just wouldn't go. ⁓ so I just think it's a fantastic idea. I really do. Imad: and feeling I remember when I was younger I went to the London carnival with my friends and I asked the taxi driver for instructions for directions and he like looked at me like I had two heads but like over here in Liverpool it's so like I recently joined the gym and everybody in the morning it's it's just it's the right etiquette to be like you know right lad do you know what I mean like it's it's just it's the Scouse way and I just Richie: Yeah, I'll tell you what, we'll have a chat after this and then we'll see if one of us can reach out to them and we'll explain what we do and all that sort of stuff and we'll reach out and see if we can get an older one, do you what mean? Or some pitch, do know what mean? Just see if they'll send us one just so we can promote it on here because that's a really good idea and maybe going forward with other football courses, it'll be more of a... Sam: Absolutely, yeah, that'd be cool, wouldn't it? Absolutely. Richie: The friend who says in the world is a dandy. Imad: Yeah, it's honest to God it genuinely is and now like I think everyone's obsessed with YouTube and social media and stuff like that and likewise myself you find yourself scrolling on your phone or just in bed at night flicking through Shorts and reels and whatnot and the amount of like Negativity that there is and and like I said to you mate. I've just always been ignorance is bliss crack on with your day and like Richie: As well as like, sort of to help people, it could be a bit of like a bit of like a little bit of like, oh I've been to Liverpool, look they gave me this bag so I can journey. You know, even if they said... Sam: Absolutely, yeah. I mean a lot of a lot of Premier League football clubs have got like sensory rooms now for s families to watch football matches in. I know Liverpool and Everton have both got one. ⁓ so yeah. So I I know football clubs are going in the right direction. ⁓ but I think that's for a small island like Jersey to be doing that, I think it's class. I used to live in Jersey, so that's why the ⁓ story sort of popped up and was a bit close to my heart. But I just mean it's a great idea. Richie: That's fantastic. Imad: the TV's fake anyway kind of thing, do know what I mean? I wouldn't say I'm concerned because I'm not. The truth is, I ⁓ don't think I'd ever act on it in any way, shape or form. But I remember, guys, I'd done a show once for the Amfield rap and it was straight after something that had happened, one of these incidents that had happened. Richie: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Let's see if we can get all of them on. Sam: Hundred percent, hundred percent. Right, let's go for a break. I need a way and I'm gonna top my D up. ⁓ W.gg. Code Word Mercy ten. Ten percent off. I hate doing that. I'm gonna ⁓ go and get a new W and we're gonna come back and hopefully fingers crossed if the technology stays and plays nicely, we'll

have Imad from World in One City coming on to talk about the football tournament. So yeah, happy days. See you on the other side. Richie: Okay. Imad: I they're good friends of mine, the Anfield rap, but I think they wanted a bit of, you know, how can I put it? They wanted a bit of... No, they didn't want to make it political. I think they just wanted an opinion from somebody who was kind of on both, like, how do you see it? What's it like from your side, kind of thing. Richie: Cheers guys, see you soon. Bye bye. Did you want to try and make it political? Sam: Yeah. Richie: Yeah. Sam: It's almost like you've got a of a dual nationality. You are Scouts like you said, but obviously you've got that Yemen background, you know. Imad: Yeah, well, walking down the street, let's say for example, I walk down the street and there was guys who hated asylum seekers, they wouldn't know the difference, do know what I'm saying? Which is why I would probably exaggerate the Scouse accent just a little bit more. However, yeah, think, I wish I had a voice big enough to say something along the lines of like, you know, Richie: Yeah. Sam: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. hahahaha Imad: We're all just human man, we're all just like everyone Yeah, I don't want to sound cringy. I don't want to say things that are cliche But I know in my heart that I want good things more than bad things Like if I there's things that make me cry I can I can watch a re- I can watch a re- I don't know what it is when I see like Soldiers coming back from the army and they see the kids and the kids run up to like how do- Richie: We all bleed red, don't we? Yeah. Imad: Are you a human? Does that not like make you feel like melting? Do you know what I'm saying? Just little things. You know when I see somebody, I could watch somebody win. was scrolling down my phone the other day and I seen somebody who bought a horse. He's like a, he's a bit of a show off if I'm being totally honest. I love that he bought a horse, he trained the horse. The horse won a race and the happiness on his face when the horse won. he just couldn't believe it. And I found myself crying. was like, I'm crying, crying all day. Sam: Yeah, man. Richie: Yeah, yeah, no, 100 % Yeah. Hehehehehe Sam: Yeah. Imad: Like I explained to you, like if everybody's got that, like I don't know, I can only feel what I feel as a human and just assume that everybody kind of has the same thing. Everybody just wants the family to be safe. Everyone just wants to live a good life and like fuck it. Do you know what I'm saying? Like, swerve the telly, swerve these people and kind of just like crack on. People do bad things in all walks of life. Richie: People are people, aren't they? Sam: Absolutely, mate, absolutely. Imad: can't be your next door neighbor might be from I don't know Timbuktu and somebody from Timbuktu has just you know done something crazy over there well is your neighbor from Timbuktu the same as that crazy motherfucker do know what I mean? neighbor from Timbuktu would give you his last rollo do you know what I'm saying? yeah it's just and it's like you know if I I always say this to my dad and my dad loves politics Sam: Exactly, exactly. Yeah, yeah, yeah, there's too much scaremongering that goes on man. It's too much scaremongering. Richie: The worst type of chocolate-faire analogy I've ever heard in my life! Imad: And he's like, he loves, honest to God, I don't know, must just be in the genes because my granddad loved it as well. But I always say to him like, if you know the truth and I know the truth and I've just explained it to you and you've kind of just touched on it, you know the truth, we all know the truth. So what's going on then? Like, how come, how come we put on all this go, hey, we all know the truth, like, let's wave this one now, should we go on to the next thing? Richie: I you are as well, I'd to background with you. Sam: Yeah. Yeah, exactly, exactly, exactly. Imad: So yeah, I don't know whether he wanted to go into that or anything but I just thought... Richie: No, no, we were all honest about the event, right? This is about you. This is about what you do. This is about what you've done and this is about, like, and you and, like... That's what it's about, mate. Sam: No, mate. Imad: Yeah, we bring nations together in the world in one city and I always I'm not gonna lie to you the first the first the first as an organizer you're shitting yourself, know when you've got flipping England are about to play Nigeria and you've got on one side you got the Nigerian team you got the English team and it's like it's not like you know on Saturday in Saturday League if Mosul will have a fight with marshals. It's just like yeah, also Mosul Sam: Unity mate, it's about unity, innit? here. Imad: When it's Nigeria versus England, it's a bit more... Yeah! Do you know what I mean? Snap just like that, listen. But like I said... ⁓ Richie: You have an international incidence, haven't you? MI5 are coming in an helicopter! Sam: Yeah. ⁓ There's an international crisis going on caused by IMAD in World In One City, like yeah. Imad: Exactly. just wanted to score for Yemen. Fucking hell. But yeah, like I said to you, the fact that we can put those lads on the pitch, it goes hand in hand because there's probably someone on the Nigerian team, like I said, we're all friends, so a lad from the Nigeria team probably best mates with somebody on the English team more than he is on the Nigerian team. It's all fun and games, everyone has banter, and for one month, like I said, we're all imaginary footballers. There's storylines. Sam: hahahahah ⁓ Richie: You No, you're not imagining footballers, you are footballers. ⁓ Imad: Yeah, well, nobody can tell me. I promise you, in the summer, in any summer of June in the last five years, nobody could not tell me that I wasn't Yemen's number nine. I was here. I was here. Sam: There you go. There you go. Richie: How many times have you used that shout-out line?

I'm number nine for Yenem. Imad: I-I-I am in. Sam: He doesn't mention the fact that he's not scored from open play yet, he just said he's the number nine. Imad: Literally. What's one of those? Someone said. ⁓ Yeah, I've scored three pens and missed two. Richie: I've scored six goals, you know. Sam: Well, there we go. Well, there we go. Richie: Wow. What a story, I'm at honesty. Imad: ⁓ Another funny story for you just while I was talking to you about telling you about being Yemen's number nine. So after one of the games I went back, I was working at the same time so I was looking after a young person. It was two to one support so I'd finished the World in One City and I'd quickly run over to Dale Street to look after the young person and I remember going to the shop and one of not proud to admit it but I'm partial to the odd cigarette and I went into the shop before I went to do my overnight stay and I went and bought a packet, went to go and buy a packet of 20 Lambert and Butler Silver and the shopkeeper was a young Yemeni lad and this is right bang in the middle of world in one city and it's world in one city three when we've got you know Trent Alexander-Arnold's blasted it all over Instagram everyone's come into every single game and Yemen are flying in the tournament and I went in and I got me drink of LucasAid, put it on the thing and before I ordered me 20 Lambert silver he goes to me, do you play for Yemen? And I was like, ⁓ wow. I was like, ⁓ yeah, yeah, yeah. know, taking the adulation and he was like, I come to watch this, you were so good, blah, blah, blah. Richie: Hahaha Imad: shit, this the only shop on dale street where am i getting my ciggies from now cos i can't kill this kids dream and get a 20 lambert the kid he's looked up to is about to buy 20 lamberts and butler silver from the shop so as one of those yeah i'll just take this lucas aiden v squad mate and i'm gone Sam: Hahaha. Richie: You Sam: Hahaha Yeah, yeah exactly that's class that that's amazing. I love that. That's fucking brilliant Richie: ⁓ wow. I just love that fact about bringing people together through one voice and also what I can do for the headspace as well and all that. I know it's stressful getting it all together and stuff like that but what a story, I imagine. I could sit here and listen to you all night, to be honest. And I'm being deadly serious. I'd love to be involved in any shape or form. If I could help you in any way, I promise you that I really will. Imad: Yeah, it's amazing. I'll hold you to that. Honestly, when the tournament's on, we are basically calling anyone, everyone and whoever wants to be involved to be involved in any way, shape or form that they can be. Honestly, it's all, it's all, honest to God, you know in World in One City 1, I got people to come with cameras that never used cameras before and they were like, Imaad, there's no battery. I was like, mate, it's just the illusion. Just stand there with the camera and let them think that you're being, do you know what I mean? Honestly, God, it's so funny. Richie: Yeah, the whole reason that makes home is that I will genuinely love to be involved. Sam: Hahaha Richie: NNNN Sam: Yeah, people are saying to him after the tournament, where are all these photos? All these people were taken. ⁓ Imad: Yeah, where's all the video? Yeah, he's taped his phone off. Richie: ⁓ mate, the cloud got lost? ⁓ no, honest to god that's... Sam: Haha Imad: ⁓ I feel like I've just kept pinching at moments, another boss moment, another boss moment for you. know, we're at the one city one. It's the first game of the tournament that ever happened was Congo versus Jamaica. It just so happened that that was the first game that ever happened. ⁓ And there's a segment, bare in mind, I've got to get all the boys to stand in a line and do the national anthems to country like... Richie: Well no, I appreciate the fact... ⁓ Sam: Go on, Ebert. Imad: For example, the Congolese team, they're very patriotic at all from Congo. They bleed Congolese blood. Whereas the lads from Jamaica are all like 19th generation Jamaicans, all born and raised in Liverpool and couldn't tell yet where Jamaica was on the map, perhaps. Do you know what I mean? So it's a very contrast. It's two different, kind of a bit like the Jamaica, a bit like the Wales, Guinea, the South story, but maybe Wales were a bit less than Jamaica are now kind of thing. And I remember. Sam: Really? Imad: It's the first time that we're going to trial and error this national anthem. And the first national anthem was Jamaica. And they're standing in a line and the cameraman's going across them because that's how I envisioned it would happen like in the Champions League. And you know, a lot of them are like looking away and they're a bit like a flipping element. What have you got us doing here in front of all these people? Do know what I mean? And I was like, at that point I thought, OK, I might have to scrap the national anthem because I don't want it to become a mockery. Then. The Congolese national anthem came on mate. The guys arms around each other like that, word for word drowned out the entire stereo that we had for World in 181. It was like, wow, Congo have arrived. Honest to God. And then what was mad was I told the venue, we had the tournament and the first venue was on Tiber and they wouldn't let me set fireworks off on the venue. So I had to give fireworks to me mate to go in the street. Richie: I love that. Sam: Ha ha ha ha ha ha Imad: to set them off. and he was basically waiting for the cue off me to phone him yeah how crazy is this i accidentally pocket dialed him yeah Sam: Ha ha ha ha ha ha Richie: You start setting fireworks up through the- Imad: I accidentally pocket dialed him during the Congonese National Anthem, yeah? So, I'm in awe watching these Congonese guys singing it, words for words, the crowd like, ⁓ my god, and then fireworks start going off in the background! But it was so fitting, d'you know what I mean? Like, just set the tone. Funny story. Richie: You You Sam: Amazing that's class. That is class man Listen, I want to go and have some tea now, but listen in my mate Thank you so much for coming on honestly firstly You've deserved your break this year for for welding one city mate because you fucking put some effort in to get the other five on the go mate and Me and Jay Richie genuinely mean it that when? Welding one city six is gonna be on me. We would love to be involved in any way you want us involved Richie: That's clasped. Fucking hell. Imad: You are Sam: We'll be involved. We'll get you back on before the tournament starts. You can promote it, tell us all about it. Tell us what team's taking part, et cetera, et cetera. We'll definitely get you back on. We'll get it promoted and we'll get it out there, mate. you know, we'll make... Imad: in effect. Richie: I'm gonna have to put a tenon on him to score from open play, aren't I? I wonder if they'll take it each way, just in case. Amazing, amazing, What a story. Sam: You are yeah, the bookies will take it. Imad: You'll be able to manage your day like the odds will be crazy Sam: Maybe you never know. Amazing. Amazing. Imad: Thank you so much. Sam: Classmate what a vision he had a vision and he fucking did it. So happy days happy days Guys, thank you so much for watching and listening if you've been on and listened and watched T-shirt studio comm forward slash marketplace forward slash MOTM for all the merch go and check out SLM GP our new show sponsors W dot GG forward slash WGG code word Mersey 10th 10 % off Yeah, nice one Richie: That's it. Imad: Thanks a lot. Sam: Thanks very much. See you later. Nice one, you man. Cheers, mate. Richie: and ⁓ Emad, amazing mates, amazing. Take care, thank you. Imad: Take care. Bye bye.