Three Lions Squad Depth Called 'Ridiculous' - Wales Manager Craig Bellamy
- Published
Friendly match: England v Wales
Venue: London's Wembley, the capital Date: Thursday, 9 October Kick-off: 19:45 BST
Craig Bellamy says the English squad depth is so impressive that matchmakers wouldn't pair them with the Welsh team.
Bellamy's men meet England in a non-competitive match at Wembley on Thursday before their important qualifying match against the Belgians next the following week.
National team coach Thomas Tuchel has omitted the likes of Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish out of his selection for the match against Wales and their qualifying game against Latvia.
"England have a incredible team, similar to the French," the coach remarked.
"England have a market valuation of £1.4bn, ours is 170 million. Were you a boxing promoter, you wouldn't put us together. That wouldn't be permitted."
Bellamy says ensuring Wales can compete with the talented rivals is a "key motivation".
Bellamy added: "We don't go off values, but the reality is England don't just have one team. They have multiple and France and others are similarly stacked. England have many great players and that's the honest truth."
"One right-back was ruled out injured the other day and there are two dozen others to go! They have over sixty footballers. I'd love Wales to be well-equipped similarly."
The neighbouring countries last faced each other at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, when the English ran out comfortable victors in a group match before the previous England team made it to the quarter-finals.
Southgate's successor is Tuchel, a Champions League and Fifa Club World Cup champion at the London club who has won league championships in Ligue 1 and his native Germany.
Bellamy was previously an coach at the Belgian side and the English club to Vincent Kompany, who replaced Tuchel at Bayern Munich.
"Tuchel's an outstanding coach - his achievements speak for themselves," Bellamy noted.
"I have some sort of understanding because the team he departed I know 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 such a challenge - see how we adjust because he adapts too. I can learn from it. I'd love to reach such heights."
Wales Team Selection
Keepers: Darlow (Leeds), Davies (Sheffield Utd), King (Everton).
Backline: Cabango (Swansea), Dasilva (Coventry City), B. Davies (Spurs), Ronan Kpakio (Cardiff), Lawlor (Cardiff), Mepham (West Bromwich Albion), Joe Rodon (Leeds United), Neco Williams (Forest).
Midfield: Ethan Ampadu (Leeds), Brooks (Bournemouth), Jordan James (Leicester City - on loan from Stade Rennais), Sheehan (Bolton Wanderers), Thomas (Stoke City), Harry Wilson (the Cottagers), Joel Colwill (Cardiff), Rubin Colwill (Cardiff City).
Forwards: Nathan Broadhead (the Red Dragons), Liam Cullen (Swansea), Mark Harris (Oxford), Koumas (Birmingham City - loaned by Liverpool), Johnson (Spurs), Kieffer Moore (Wrexham), Isaak Davies (Cardiff).
