Three Lions Squad Strength Called 'Absurd' - Welsh Manager Bellamy
- Published
International friendly: Wales vs England
Venue: London's Wembley, the capital Date: October 9th Kick-off: 7:45 PM BST
Craig Bellamy says the English player pool is so impressive that matchmakers wouldn't match them against his Wales side.
Bellamy's men face their neighbors in a non-competitive match at Wembley on Thursday before their crucial World Cup qualifier against the Belgians next Monday.
England manager Thomas Tuchel has left the such as Bellingham, Foden and Jack Grealish out of his selection for the match against Wales and their World Cup qualifier against Latvia.
"England have a ridiculous squad, similar to France," the coach remarked.
"England have a market valuation of £1.4bn, Wales' is 170 million. Were you a fight promoter, you wouldn't put us together. That wouldn't be permitted."
He says making sure the Welsh team can compete with the star-studded rivals is a "driving force".
The Wales head coach added: "Our team do not rely on market prices, but the reality is they don't just have one team. They possess multiple and France and others have the same level. They have loads of top talents and that's a fact."
"A defender went out injured the other day and there are two dozen others to go! They've got over sixty players. I'd love Wales to be well-equipped similarly."
These two nations last faced each other at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, when England ran out comfortable victors in a group match before the previous England team made it to the quarter-finals.
The new manager is Tuchel, a Champions League and world club winner at the London club who has claimed league championships in Ligue 1 and his home country.
The Welsh boss was previously an coach at the Belgian side and the English club to Vincent Kompany, who succeeded Tuchel at Bayern Munich.
"He's an incredible coach - his record is proven," he noted.
"I possess some sort of insight because the team he departed I am familiar with individuals who have joined. I gain a glimpse from that of his methods and it's remarkable. "
"His strategic planning is elite and I wanted to be up against that - see how you're going to adapt because he adapts too. I will get to learn from that. I'd love to reach that level."
Wales Team Selection
Keepers: Karl Darlow (Leeds), Davies (Sheffield United), Tom King (Everton).
Defenders: Ben Cabango (Swansea), Dasilva (Coventry City), B. Davies (Spurs), Kpakio (Cardiff City), Dylan Lawlor (Cardiff), Chris Mepham (West Brom), Rodon (Leeds United), Williams (Nottingham Forest).
Midfield: Ampadu (Leeds), David Brooks (the Cherries), J. James (Leicester - on loan from Rennes), Sheehan (Bolton), Sorba Thomas (Stoke), H. Wilson (the Cottagers), Joel Colwill (Cardiff City), Rubin Colwill (Cardiff).
Forwards: Broadhead (Wrexham), Cullen (Swansea City), Mark Harris (Oxford United), Lewis Koumas (Birmingham - loaned by the Reds), Brennan Johnson (Tottenham Hotspur), Kieffer Moore (Wrexham), Isaak Davies (Cardiff).
