Three Lions Team Strength Labelled 'Absurd' - Wales Manager Craig Bellamy
- Published
Friendly match: Wales vs England
Venue: Wembley Stadium, London Date: October 9th Kick-off: 7:45 PM BST
Craig Bellamy says England's squad depth is remarkable that matchmakers wouldn't match them with his Wales side.
Bellamy's men face England in a friendly at the national stadium on Thursday before their important World Cup qualifier against the Belgians next the following week.
National team coach Thomas Tuchel has left the likes of Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Grealish out of his selection for the Wales friendly and their World Cup qualifier against Latvia.
"England have a incredible squad, like France," Bellamy said.
"England have a market valuation of £1.4bn, Wales' is 170 million. Were you a fight promoter, you wouldn't put us together. That wouldn't be permitted."
Bellamy says making sure the Welsh team can compete with the star-studded opponents is a "driving force".
Bellamy continued: "Our team do not rely on values, but the reality is England don't just have a single lineup. They have multiple and France and other nations have the same level. They have many top talents and that's the honest truth."
"A defender went out injured the recently and there are 24 more to go! They have 60-odd players. I'd love Wales to be well-equipped similarly."
The neighbouring countries most recently met at the 2022 World Cup in the Middle East, when England ran out easy victors in a fixture before Gareth Southgate's side reached the quarter-finals.
Southgate's successor is Tuchel, a Champions League and world club champion at the London club who has won league championships in Ligue 1 and his home country.
Bellamy was formerly an assistant at Anderlecht and the English club to Kompany, who succeeded him at the German giants.
"Tuchel's an outstanding coach - his achievements is proven," he added.
"I possess a degree of insight because the team he departed I am familiar with people who have gone in there. I gain a bit of an insight from that of his methods and it's remarkable. "
"His tactical detail is elite and I aimed to be up against that - observe how you're going to adapt because he will. I will get to learn from that. I'd love to get to such heights."
Welsh Squad List
Goalkeepers: Darlow (Leeds United), Davies (Sheffield United), King (the Toffees).
Backline: Cabango (Swansea City), Dasilva (Coventry), Ben Davies (Spurs), Ronan Kpakio (Cardiff), Lawlor (Cardiff), Chris Mepham (West Brom), Joe Rodon (Leeds United), Williams (Nottingham Forest).
Midfielders: Ethan Ampadu (Leeds), David Brooks (the Cherries), Jordan James (Leicester - loaned by Stade Rennais), Josh Sheehan (Bolton Wanderers), Thomas (Stoke), H. Wilson (the Cottagers), Joel Colwill (Cardiff), R. Colwill (Cardiff).
Forwards: Broadhead (Wrexham), Liam Cullen (Swansea), Harris (Oxford), Koumas (Birmingham - on loan from Liverpool), Brennan Johnson (Spurs), Moore (Wrexham), I. Davies (Cardiff City).
