Brad Smith is a 25-year-old Australian international left back who got his break at Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp and is currently on loan at the Seattle Sounders from Bournemouth. His performances have been a major factor in the Sounders’ strong start to the 2019 Major League Soccer season, so now seemed like a good time to catch up with him.

In a chat with FloFC, Smith spoke about his experiences under Klopp at Liverpool, his discussions with Tim Cahill and Jermain Defoe before making the move to MLS, his picks for the NBA Playoffs, and his Starbucks order.

FloFC: When and how did you first learn of the Seattle Sounders’ interest in signing you?

Brad Smith: I knew that it was going to be a loan year for me. I hadn’t been getting as much game time as I would have wanted [at Bournemouth] and they said it was fine for me to go on loan because I had been such a good professional at the club. There was interest from quite a few [English] Championship teams. I came back from preseason with Bournemouth in Spain and my agent mentioned about Seattle.

What did you know about the Seattle Sounders before signing?

When I got the offer I was like, “bit of a strange one.” I didn’t know much about them, but we got talking about it and I got sent a video from Seattle about the culture and the fans and stuff like that. From there, my interest started growing. I then sat down with my agent, I thought it was a really good idea and we went from there. 

I had a FaceTime call with the general manager and the head coach from Seattle. That was nice to speak to them and see where I would fit into their plans. That’s what got it over the line, really. The fanbase is also crazy. Stuff like that drew me here and it’s been good. It’s gone well.

How is Major League Soccer seen by soccer fans in England?

I think it’s got a way to go, but it’s progressing in a fast manner. I think that’s what the league wants. It’s on Sky in England, which is huge. It’s the biggest sports broadcaster in England. To have the likes of Wayne Rooney, Carlos Vela, Zlatan Ibrahimovic going over to MLS now, it’s definitely a sign of the league growing. Just being in it, from when I used to watch it, it’s grown a lot.

Did you speak to former Australia teammate Tim Cahill about MLS before making the move to Seattle?

Yeah, I spoke to Tim. I spoke to Jermain Defoe as well, who I was at Bournemouth with. He was at Toronto FC. So I just got a little bit of insight from them about the league and what they thought about it. They said the teams play really well and the fans over here love it. They just gave me what I needed to know before coming out. I was thankful for that.

How would you compare the atmosphere at CenturyLink Field to the famous atmosphere you’ve played in at Anfield?

It’s a bit different. Liverpool is one of the best clubs in the world. In England, football is everything. And in America and in Australia, where I’m from, there are a lot of sports. It’s more split, but I would say Seattle definitely have probably the best fans in the league, for sure.

How closely have you been following Liverpool’s title challenge this season? What do you make of their chances?

Of course I’ve been following it. They’re the team I support, I’ve supported them all my life and I was really lucky to play for them. I’ve been watching all the games, it’s been a very good title race and hopefully they get over the line. I feel like both Man City and Liverpool deserve the league, it’s just a shame that one team can only win it this year. Even if they do lose, Liverpool did everything right. They’ve got a good chance of winning the Champions League, though.

[Editor’s note: This interview was conducted before Liverpool suffered their semifinal first-leg defeat to Barcelona.]

What was it like to be coached by Jurgen Klopp? How did he improve your game?

He’s an amazing man. He's a very good coach and a very good person. You could see it from the moment he came into Liverpool, what he could do. Everyone believes in him, the fans believe in him. He helped me a lot. He gave me my first chance at Liverpool. I think I played 10 games for him, so that was a dream come true for me to play for the team I have supported all my life. I’ll be forever grateful to him for that. 

Is there a player in that Liverpool squad that you are particularly pleased for having watched their development from when you were at the club?

I knew Trent Alexander-Arnold from when I was at the club. He is a bit younger than me, but for him to do what he has done has been amazing. He’s such a good guy, a very humble kid. No one has really done what he has done in a long time, to go through the academy and get a starting spot. This year has been amazing for him, he’s scored goals and made loads of assists. Having gone through the academy like he has, I’m very proud of him, as is everyone at the club.

What are your hopes for the future? Do you want to stay with the Seattle Sounders or are you planning on going back to Bournemouth?

Right now, I'm happy to be out here playing and the club doing well. I’m sure I will have contact with Bournemouth soon as it gets closer to the date. We will sit down and discuss everything that needs to be discussed and we will go from there. If they want me back, I’ll go back. If they’re happy for me to stay out here, I’ll stay here. I’ll just take it as it comes. I’m a Seattle player at the moment and that’s all matters.

Seattle have made a strong start to the season. Given previous early season struggles, was it a target to change that and start strongly this season?

I wasn’t here for the seasons where the team didn’t have the best start, so I can’t really talk about the atmosphere that they had then. However, yeah, we went into preseason working on what we needed to do and you can see at the start of this season that the boys have a lot of confidence and it has been a great start.

You’re a big basketball fan. Who’s your pick to win the NBA Playoffs this year?

I do like basketball. It was a bit difficult to get into it because of the time difference, but I played it in school and in Australia. I’m into it. Everyone says Golden State as their pick [for the NBA Playoffs], but I kind of want the Rockets to win. I really like James Harden. I think he’s a great player. I’d like to see them win… maybe the Bucks as well on the other side of the conference. I think it might be. Golden State/Bucks final. Maybe the Bucks will take it.

I support the Lakers because LeBron [James] actually owns a part of Liverpool. So when I was there, his shirt was actually in the dressing room. LeBron is definitely the guy I look up in the league because of that Liverpool league.

You’re not a Portland Trail Blazers fan, then?

No, I can’t. That’s not allowed as a Seattle Sounders player. 

Starbucks originated in Seattle. What’s your Starbucks order?

To be honest, I don’t really go to Starbucks. I prefer a trendy, little cafe spot. Starbucks is a lot better in this country, though. I don’t know what the reason for that is. But I usually get a vanilla latte or a normal cappuccino. Those are my two go-to drinks depending on how I’m feeling. Sometimes I’ll give them a fake name. I feel like everyone does that.

Graham Ruthven is a soccer writer based in the U.K. He has written for the New York Times, Guardian, Eurosport, Bleacher Report, and others.