England Team Depth Labelled 'Absurd' - Welsh Boss Bellamy
- Published
Friendly match: England v Wales
Venue: London's Wembley, London Date: October 9th Kick-off: 19:45 BST
Craig Bellamy states England's player pool is so impressive that a boxing promoter wouldn't match them against his Wales side.
Bellamy's men face England in a friendly at the national stadium on Thursday before their important World Cup qualifier against Belgium next Monday.
England manager Thomas Tuchel has left the such as Bellingham, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish out of his selection for the Wales friendly and their World Cup qualifier against Latvia.
"England have a ridiculous team, similar to France," the coach said.
"England have a market valuation of £1.4bn, Wales' is £170m. Were you a boxing promoter, you would not match us up. It wouldn't be allowed."
Bellamy explains making sure the Welsh team can compete with the talented rivals is a "driving force".
Bellamy continued: "We do not rely on market prices, but the reality is they have more than one team. They possess multiple and the French and other nations are similarly stacked. They have loads of great players and that's a fact."
"A defender was ruled out with injury the recently and there's only two dozen others to choose from! They've got 60-odd players. I'd love us to be well-equipped similarly."
These two nations last faced each other at the 2022 World Cup in the Middle East, when England emerged as comfortable victors in a group match before Gareth Southgate's side reached the last eight.
Southgate's successor is Thomas Tuchel, a Champions League and Fifa Club World Cup champion at the London club who has won league championships in Ligue 1 and his native Germany.
Bellamy was previously an coach at the Belgian side and the English club to Vincent Kompany, who succeeded him at Bayern Munich.
"He's an incredible coach - his achievements speak for themselves," Bellamy added.
"I have a degree of understanding because the club he left I am familiar with individuals who have joined. I gain a glimpse there of how he works and it's remarkable. "
"His tactical detail is elite and I aimed to be facing that - observe how we adjust because he will. I will get to learn from it. I aspire to get to that level."
Wales Squad Selection
Keepers: Karl Darlow (Leeds), Adam Davies (Sheffield United), Tom King (Everton).
Defenders: Ben Cabango (Swansea City), Dasilva (Coventry City), B. Davies (Tottenham Hotspur), Kpakio (Cardiff City), Lawlor (Cardiff City), Chris Mepham (West Brom), Joe Rodon (Leeds), Williams (Forest).
Midfield: Ampadu (Leeds United), David Brooks (the Cherries), J. James (Leicester - loaned by Rennes), Josh Sheehan (Bolton Wanderers), Thomas (Stoke), H. Wilson (Fulham), Joel Colwill (Cardiff City), Rubin Colwill (Cardiff).
Attackers: Nathan Broadhead (Wrexham), Cullen (Swansea City), Harris (Oxford United), Koumas (Birmingham City - on loan from Liverpool), Brennan Johnson (Tottenham Hotspur), Kieffer Moore (Wrexham), Isaak Davies (Cardiff City).
