England Team Depth Called 'Absurd' - Welsh Manager Bellamy
- Published
Friendly match: England v Wales
Venue: Wembley Stadium, London Date: Thursday, 9 October Kick-off: 19:45 BST
Craig Bellamy states the English squad depth is remarkable that a boxing promoter would not match them against his Wales side.
Bellamy's men face their neighbors in a friendly at the national stadium on this Thursday before their important World Cup qualifier against the Belgians next Monday.
England manager Tuchel has left the likes of Jude Bellingham, Foden and Jack Grealish out of his selection for the match against Wales and their qualifying game against the Latvian team.
"England have a ridiculous team, like France," Bellamy remarked.
"England have a transfer market value of £1.4bn, ours is 170 million. If you were a fight promoter, you would not put us together. It wouldn't be allowed."
Bellamy says making sure Wales can compete with the star-studded rivals is a "key motivation".
Bellamy continued: "We do not rely on values, but the simple fact is England have more than a single lineup. They have multiple and the French and other nations have the same level. England have loads of top talents and that's the honest truth."
"A defender was ruled out injured the recently and there's only 24 more to go! They've got over sixty players. I wish us to be stacked similarly."
The neighbouring countries last faced each other at the 2022 tournament in Qatar, when the English 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 European and Fifa Club World Cup winner at the London club who has won league championships in Ligue 1 and his native Germany.
The Welsh boss was formerly an coach at the Belgian side and the English club to Vincent Kompany, who succeeded him at Bayern Munich.
"He's an outstanding coach - his record is proven," Bellamy noted.
"I possess a degree of insight because the team he departed I know individuals who have gone in there. I gain a glimpse from that of how he works and it's remarkable. "
"His strategic planning is top level and I aimed to be up against such a challenge - observe how you're going to adapt because he will. I will get to learn from it. I'd love to reach that level."
Welsh Team Selection
Goalkeepers: Darlow (Leeds United), Adam Davies (Sheffield United), Tom King (Everton).
Defenders: Ben Cabango (Swansea), Dasilva (Coventry City), Ben Davies (Spurs), Ronan Kpakio (Cardiff), Lawlor (Cardiff), Mepham (West Bromwich Albion), Rodon (Leeds United), Williams (Nottingham Forest).
Midfielders: Ampadu (Leeds United), Brooks (the Cherries), Jordan James (Leicester City - loaned by Stade Rennais), Josh Sheehan (Bolton), Sorba Thomas (Stoke), Harry Wilson (the Cottagers), Joel Colwill (Cardiff), Rubin Colwill (Cardiff City).
Attackers: Nathan Broadhead (Wrexham), Liam Cullen (Swansea), Harris (Oxford United), Lewis Koumas (Birmingham - loaned by Liverpool), Brennan Johnson (Tottenham Hotspur), Moore (Wrexham), Isaak Davies (Cardiff).