Three Lions Squad Strength Labelled 'Absurd' - Welsh Boss Bellamy
- Published
International friendly: Wales vs England
Venue: Wembley Stadium, the capital Date: October 9th Kick-off: 19:45 BST
Craig Bellamy states England's player pool is remarkable that matchmakers wouldn't pair them against his Wales side.
Bellamy's men face England in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday before their crucial World Cup qualifier against the Belgians next Monday.
National team coach Thomas Tuchel has left the such as Bellingham, Foden and Jack Grealish out of his selection for the Wales friendly and their World Cup qualifier against Latvia.
"The English have a ridiculous squad, like the French," the coach remarked.
"England have a market valuation of 1.4 billion pounds, Wales' is £170m. Were you a fight promoter, you would not match us up. That wouldn't be permitted."
Bellamy explains ensuring Wales can face the talented opponents is a "key motivation".
Bellamy added: "We don't go off values, but the reality is England have more than a single lineup. They have multiple and France and other nations are similarly stacked. England have many great players and that's a fact."
"A defender was ruled out injured the recently and there's only 24 more to choose from! They have over sixty footballers. I wish us to be stacked similarly."
The neighbouring countries last faced each other at the 2022 tournament in Qatar, when England ran out comfortable 3-0 winners in a fixture before Gareth Southgate's side reached the quarter-finals.
Southgate's successor is Tuchel, a European and Fifa Club World Cup champion at the London club who has claimed domestic titles in France and his home country.
The Welsh boss was formerly an assistant at Anderlecht and Burnley to Vincent Kompany, who succeeded Tuchel at Bayern Munich.
"He's an incredible manager - his record speak for themselves," Bellamy added.
"I possess a degree of understanding because the club he left I am familiar with people who have joined. I gain a bit of an insight from that of his methods and it's very impressive. "
"His strategic planning is elite and I aimed to be facing that - see how you're going to adapt because he adapts too. I will get to learn from that. I aspire to reach such heights."
Welsh Squad Selection
Goalkeepers: Karl Darlow (Leeds), Adam Davies (Sheffield United), King (the Toffees).
Defenders: Ben Cabango (Swansea City), Dasilva (Coventry), B. Davies (Tottenham Hotspur), Kpakio (Cardiff City), Lawlor (Cardiff City), Mepham (West Brom), Joe Rodon (Leeds), Neco Williams (Forest).
Midfield: Ethan Ampadu (Leeds United), Brooks (Bournemouth), Jordan James (Leicester - on loan from Stade Rennais), Sheehan (Bolton), Thomas (Stoke), H. Wilson (Fulham), Joel Colwill (Cardiff City), R. Colwill (Cardiff).
Attackers: Broadhead (the Red Dragons), Cullen (Swansea), Mark Harris (Oxford United), Lewis Koumas (Birmingham - loaned by the Reds), Johnson (Spurs), Moore (Wrexham), I. Davies (Cardiff).
