Three Lions Squad Depth Labelled 'Absurd' - Welsh Boss Craig Bellamy
- Published
International friendly: Wales vs England
Venue: Wembley Stadium, the capital Date: Thursday, 9 October Kick-off: 7:45 PM BST
Craig Bellamy says England's player pool is remarkable that matchmakers wouldn't match them with the Welsh team.
The Welsh squad 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 Grealish from his squad for the Wales friendly and their qualifying game against the Latvian team.
"England have a incredible squad, like the French," the coach remarked.
"They have a market valuation of 1.4 billion pounds, ours is £170m. If you were a fight promoter, you would not match us up. That wouldn't be permitted."
He says ensuring the Welsh team can face the star-studded rivals is a "driving force".
The Wales head coach added: "Our team do not rely on values, but the simple fact is England don't just have a single lineup. They have multiple and France and other nations are similarly stacked. England have loads of top talents and that's a fact."
"A defender was ruled out with injury the recently and there's only two dozen others to go! They have 60-odd players. I wish us to be stacked similarly."
The neighbouring countries most recently met at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, when the English ran out comfortable victors in a group match before Gareth Southgate's side reached the quarter-finals.
The new manager is Tuchel, a European and Fifa Club World Cup champion at Chelsea who has claimed league championships in France and his home country.
Bellamy was previously an coach at Anderlecht and the English club to Kompany, who succeeded Tuchel at the German giants.
"Tuchel's an outstanding manager - his achievements speak for themselves," he added.
"I have some sort of insight because the team he departed I know people who have gone in there. I gain a glimpse from that of his methods and it's very impressive. "
"His tactical detail is elite and I wanted to be facing that - see how we adjust because he will. I will get to learn from that. I aspire to get to such heights."
Welsh Team Selection
Goalkeepers: Karl Darlow (Leeds United), Adam Davies (Sheffield United), King (Everton).
Backline: Ben Cabango (Swansea City), Jay Dasilva (Coventry City), Ben Davies (Spurs), Ronan Kpakio (Cardiff City), Lawlor (Cardiff), Chris Mepham (West Bromwich Albion), Joe Rodon (Leeds), Williams (Nottingham Forest).
Midfielders: Ampadu (Leeds United), David Brooks (Bournemouth), J. James (Leicester City - on loan from Rennes), Sheehan (Bolton), Sorba Thomas (Stoke City), Harry Wilson (Fulham), J. Colwill (Cardiff City), Rubin Colwill (Cardiff).
Forwards: Broadhead (the Red Dragons), Liam Cullen (Swansea City), Mark Harris (Oxford United), Lewis Koumas (Birmingham - on loan from Liverpool), Johnson (Tottenham Hotspur), Moore (Wrexham), Isaak Davies (Cardiff City).
