Three Lions Squad Strength Called 'Ridiculous' - Welsh Manager Bellamy
- Published
Friendly match: England v Wales
Venue: Wembley Stadium, London Date: Thursday, 9 October Kick-off: 7:45 PM BST
Craig Bellamy states England's squad depth is remarkable that a boxing promoter would not match them with his Wales side.
The Welsh squad face their neighbors in a non-competitive match at the national stadium on this Thursday before their important World Cup qualifier against Belgium next Monday.
National team coach Tuchel has omitted the such as Bellingham, Foden and Jack Grealish out of his squad for the Wales friendly and their World Cup qualifier against Latvia.
"The English have a ridiculous squad, like the French," Bellamy remarked.
"They have a transfer market value of 1.4 billion pounds, Wales' is 170 million. Were you a fight promoter, you wouldn't match us up. That wouldn't be permitted."
He says making sure the Welsh team can compete with the talented opponents is a "driving force".
The Wales head coach continued: "Our team don't go off market prices, but the reality is England have more than a single lineup. They have two, three, four and France and others have the same level. They have many great players and that's the honest truth."
"A defender went out with injury the recently and there are two dozen others to go! They've got over sixty players. I wish Wales to be stacked like them."
The neighbouring countries last faced each other at the 2022 tournament in Qatar, when the English ran out easy 3-0 winners in a group match before the previous England team reached the quarter-finals.
The new manager is Thomas Tuchel, a European and Fifa Club World Cup champion at Chelsea who has won league championships in Ligue 1 and his native Germany.
Bellamy was previously an assistant at Anderlecht and Burnley to Kompany, who succeeded him at the German giants.
"Tuchel's an incredible coach - his achievements speak for themselves," he added.
"I have some sort of insight because the team he departed I am familiar with people who have joined. I get a glimpse there of how he works and it's very impressive. "
"His strategic planning is top level and I wanted to be facing such a challenge - observe how we adjust because he will. I can learn from it. I'd love to reach that level."
Wales Squad List
Keepers: Darlow (Leeds United), Davies (Sheffield Utd), Tom King (the Toffees).
Defenders: Ben Cabango (Swansea City), Jay Dasilva (Coventry), Ben Davies (Spurs), Kpakio (Cardiff), Dylan Lawlor (Cardiff), Mepham (West Bromwich Albion), Rodon (Leeds United), Williams (Nottingham Forest).
Midfield: Ethan Ampadu (Leeds), Brooks (the Cherries), Jordan James (Leicester City - loaned by Stade Rennais), Josh Sheehan (Bolton Wanderers), Sorba Thomas (Stoke City), Harry Wilson (Fulham), J. Colwill (Cardiff City), Rubin Colwill (Cardiff City).
Forwards: Broadhead (the Red Dragons), Cullen (Swansea), Harris (Oxford), Lewis Koumas (Birmingham City - on loan from Liverpool), Johnson (Tottenham Hotspur), Moore (Wrexham), Isaak Davies (Cardiff City).
