Three Lions Squad Strength Called 'Absurd' - Welsh Boss Bellamy
- Published
Friendly match: Wales vs England
Venue: Wembley Stadium, the capital Date: Thursday, 9 October Kick-off: 19:45 BST
Craig Bellamy states the English player pool is so impressive that a boxing promoter would not pair them against his Wales side.
Bellamy's men meet England in a non-competitive match at Wembley on this Thursday before their important World Cup qualifier against Belgium next Monday.
England manager Tuchel has omitted the such as Bellingham, Phil Foden and Grealish out of his squad for the Wales friendly and their World Cup qualifier against the Latvian team.
"England have a incredible team, similar to the French," Bellamy said.
"They have a transfer market value of £1.4bn, Wales' is 170 million. Were you a fight promoter, you wouldn't match us up. That wouldn't be permitted."
He says making sure Wales can compete with the talented opponents is a "key motivation".
The Wales head coach continued: "Our team do not rely on market prices, but the simple fact is England don't just have one team. They have multiple and the French and other nations have the same level. They have many great players and that's the honest truth."
"One right-back was ruled out injured the other day and there's only two dozen others to choose from! They have 60-odd players. I'd love Wales to be stacked like them."
The neighbouring countries last faced each other at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, when the English emerged as easy victors in a fixture before the previous England team reached the last eight.
The new manager is Tuchel, a European and world club champion at the London club who has won league championships in Ligue 1 and his home country.
The Welsh boss was previously an assistant at Anderlecht and Burnley to Kompany, who replaced him at the German giants.
"Tuchel's an outstanding manager - his achievements speak for themselves," he added.
"I have a degree of insight because the club he left I know individuals who have joined. I gain a bit of an insight from that of his methods and it's remarkable. "
"His strategic planning is top level and I wanted to be facing such a challenge - observe how you're going to adapt because he will. I can learn from that. I aspire to get to that level."
Wales Team List
Keepers: Darlow (Leeds), Davies (Sheffield Utd), King (the Toffees).
Backline: Ben Cabango (Swansea), Dasilva (Coventry), B. Davies (Spurs), Ronan Kpakio (Cardiff), Lawlor (Cardiff), Mepham (West Brom), Joe Rodon (Leeds), Neco Williams (Forest).
Midfield: Ampadu (Leeds), David Brooks (Bournemouth), Jordan James (Leicester City - on loan from Rennes), Josh Sheehan (Bolton), Sorba Thomas (Stoke City), H. Wilson (Fulham), J. Colwill (Cardiff City), R. Colwill (Cardiff City).
Forwards: Nathan Broadhead (the Red Dragons), Cullen (Swansea), Harris (Oxford), Lewis Koumas (Birmingham - on loan from the Reds), Johnson (Spurs), Kieffer Moore (Wrexham), Isaak Davies (Cardiff).
