England Squad Strength Labelled 'Ridiculous' - Welsh Manager Bellamy
- Published
Friendly match: England v Wales
Venue: London's Wembley, London Date: Thursday, 9 October Kick-off: 7:45 PM BST
Craig Bellamy states the English squad depth is remarkable that matchmakers would not pair them with the Welsh team.
The Welsh squad meet England in a non-competitive match at the national stadium on this Thursday before their important qualifying match against Belgium next the following week.
National team coach Tuchel has left the likes of Jude Bellingham, Foden and Grealish out of his squad for the Wales friendly and their qualifying game against the Latvian team.
"England have a incredible squad, like France," Bellamy said.
"England have a transfer market value of 1.4 billion pounds, Wales' is 170 million. Were you a fight promoter, you wouldn't match us up. That wouldn't be permitted."
Bellamy says ensuring the Welsh team can face the talented rivals is a "key motivation".
The Wales head coach continued: "Our team don't go off values, but the simple fact is they don't just have a single lineup. They have multiple and the French and other nations have the same level. They have many top talents and that's a fact."
"One right-back went out injured the recently and there are 24 more to choose from! They've got 60-odd footballers. I wish us to be stacked like them."
These two nations last faced each other at the 2022 tournament in the Middle East, when the English emerged as comfortable 3-0 winners in a group match before the previous England team made it to the quarter-finals.
The new manager is Tuchel, a Champions League and Fifa Club World Cup winner at Chelsea who has claimed domestic titles in France and his home country.
Bellamy was previously an coach at the Belgian side and Burnley to Kompany, who succeeded Tuchel at Bayern Munich.
"Tuchel's an outstanding coach - his record speak for themselves," he noted.
"I have a degree of insight because the club he left I know people who have joined. I get a glimpse there of his methods and it's very impressive. "
"His strategic planning is top level and I wanted to be facing such a challenge - see how you're going to adapt because he will. I will get to learn from it. I'd love to reach that level."
Welsh Squad Selection
Goalkeepers: Karl Darlow (Leeds), Adam Davies (Sheffield Utd), Tom King (Everton).
Backline: Cabango (Swansea), Dasilva (Coventry City), B. Davies (Tottenham Hotspur), Ronan Kpakio (Cardiff), Dylan Lawlor (Cardiff), Mepham (West Bromwich Albion), Joe Rodon (Leeds), Williams (Nottingham Forest).
Midfielders: Ethan Ampadu (Leeds United), David Brooks (the Cherries), J. James (Leicester - loaned by Rennes), Sheehan (Bolton Wanderers), Sorba Thomas (Stoke City), H. Wilson (the Cottagers), J. Colwill (Cardiff City), R. Colwill (Cardiff City).
Attackers: Nathan Broadhead (the Red Dragons), Cullen (Swansea City), Mark Harris (Oxford United), Lewis Koumas (Birmingham - loaned by the Reds), Johnson (Spurs), Moore (Wrexham), Isaak Davies (Cardiff).
