Three Lions Squad Depth Called 'Absurd' - Welsh Boss Bellamy
- Published
Friendly match: England v Wales
Venue: London's Wembley, the capital Date: Thursday, 9 October Kick-off: 19:45 BST
The Wales head coach states the English squad depth is so impressive that a boxing promoter would not pair them with the Welsh team.
The Welsh squad meet England in a friendly at the national stadium on this Thursday before their important World Cup qualifier against the Belgians next the following week.
England manager Thomas Tuchel has left the such as Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish from his squad for the match against Wales and their qualifying game against Latvia.
"The English have a incredible squad, like the French," Bellamy remarked.
"They have a transfer market value of £1.4bn, ours is 170 million. Were you a fight promoter, you wouldn't put us together. It wouldn't be allowed."
He says making sure Wales can compete with the star-studded rivals is a "key motivation".
Bellamy continued: "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 are similarly stacked. England have loads of top talents and that's the honest truth."
"One right-back was ruled out with injury the other day and there's only two dozen others to choose from! They have 60-odd players. I wish Wales to be well-equipped similarly."
The neighbouring countries most recently met at the 2022 tournament in Qatar, when England emerged as comfortable 3-0 winners in a fixture 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 France and his native Germany.
Bellamy was previously an coach at Anderlecht and the English club to Vincent Kompany, who replaced Tuchel at Bayern Munich.
"Tuchel's an incredible coach - his record speak for themselves," Bellamy added.
"I possess a degree of insight because the club he left I am familiar with individuals who have gone in there. I get a bit of an insight there of his methods and it's very impressive. "
"His strategic planning is top level and I aimed to be up against that - observe how we adjust because he will. I can learn from that. I'd love to get to that level."
Welsh Team Selection
Keepers: Darlow (Leeds), Adam Davies (Sheffield Utd), King (Everton).
Defenders: Ben Cabango (Swansea City), Jay Dasilva (Coventry City), B. Davies (Spurs), Ronan Kpakio (Cardiff City), Dylan Lawlor (Cardiff), Chris Mepham (West Brom), Rodon (Leeds United), Williams (Forest).
Midfielders: Ampadu (Leeds), Brooks (Bournemouth), J. James (Leicester - loaned by Rennes), Josh Sheehan (Bolton Wanderers), Sorba Thomas (Stoke), Harry Wilson (the Cottagers), Joel Colwill (Cardiff City), Rubin Colwill (Cardiff).
Forwards: Nathan Broadhead (Wrexham), Cullen (Swansea), Harris (Oxford), Lewis Koumas (Birmingham - on loan from Liverpool), Johnson (Tottenham Hotspur), Moore (Wrexham), Isaak Davies (Cardiff City).
