Three Lions Team Depth Called 'Absurd' - Welsh Manager Craig Bellamy
- Published
International friendly: England v Wales
Venue: Wembley Stadium, the capital Date: Thursday, 9 October Kick-off: 19:45 BST
The Wales head coach says the English squad depth is so impressive that a boxing promoter would not pair them against the Welsh team.
The Welsh squad meet their neighbors in a friendly at the national stadium on this Thursday before their crucial World Cup qualifier against the Belgians next Monday.
National team coach Tuchel has omitted the such as Bellingham, Foden and Grealish out of his selection for the Wales friendly and their World Cup qualifier against the Latvian team.
"England have a ridiculous team, like the French," the coach said.
"They have a market valuation of 1.4 billion pounds, Wales' is £170m. If you were a boxing promoter, you would not match us up. That wouldn't be permitted."
Bellamy explains making sure the Welsh team can compete with the star-studded rivals is a "driving force".
Bellamy added: "We don't go off values, but the reality is England don't just have a single lineup. They possess two, three, four and France and other nations have the same level. England have many great players and that's the honest truth."
"A defender went out injured the other day and there are 24 more to go! They've got over sixty footballers. I wish Wales to be stacked like them."
The neighbouring countries last faced each other at the 2022 tournament in Qatar, when the English emerged as comfortable 3-0 winners in a group match before Gareth Southgate's side reached the last eight.
The new manager is Thomas Tuchel, a European and world club champion at the London club who has claimed domestic titles in France and his native Germany.
Bellamy was formerly an coach at Anderlecht and the English club to Kompany, who succeeded Tuchel at the German giants.
"He's an outstanding coach - his record speak for themselves," Bellamy noted.
"I have some sort of insight because the team he departed I know individuals who have joined. I get a bit of an insight there of how he works and it's remarkable. "
"His tactical detail is top level and I aimed to be up against such a challenge - see how you're going to adapt because he adapts too. I can learn from that. I aspire to reach such heights."
Welsh Team Selection
Keepers: Karl Darlow (Leeds United), Davies (Sheffield United), King (Everton).
Defenders: Cabango (Swansea City), Jay Dasilva (Coventry), B. Davies (Spurs), Ronan Kpakio (Cardiff City), Dylan Lawlor (Cardiff City), Chris Mepham (West Brom), Joe Rodon (Leeds United), Williams (Nottingham Forest).
Midfield: Ethan Ampadu (Leeds), Brooks (Bournemouth), J. James (Leicester - on loan from Stade Rennais), Josh Sheehan (Bolton), Sorba Thomas (Stoke City), Harry Wilson (the Cottagers), Joel Colwill (Cardiff), R. Colwill (Cardiff City).
Forwards: Nathan Broadhead (Wrexham), Liam Cullen (Swansea), Mark Harris (Oxford United), Lewis Koumas (Birmingham - on loan from Liverpool), Johnson (Spurs), Kieffer Moore (Wrexham), I. Davies (Cardiff).
