Three Lions Team Strength Labelled 'Absurd' - Wales Boss Craig Bellamy
- Published
International friendly: Wales vs England
Venue: London's Wembley, the capital Date: October 9th Kick-off: 7:45 PM BST
The Wales head coach states England's player pool is remarkable that a boxing promoter wouldn't match them against the Welsh team.
The Welsh squad meet England in a friendly at the national stadium on Thursday before their important qualifying match against Belgium next Monday.
National team coach Thomas Tuchel has left the likes of Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish from his squad for the match against Wales and their World Cup qualifier against the Latvian team.
"The English have a incredible squad, like the French," Bellamy said.
"They have a transfer market value of £1.4bn, ours is £170m. Were you a boxing promoter, you wouldn't match us up. It wouldn't be allowed."
Bellamy explains making sure Wales can face the star-studded opponents is a "driving force".
The Wales head coach continued: "Our team do not rely on market prices, but the reality is England don't just have a single lineup. They possess multiple and France and other nations are similarly stacked. England have many great players and that's a fact."
"A defender was ruled out injured the recently and there are 24 more to choose from! They have over sixty players. I wish Wales to be well-equipped similarly."
The neighbouring countries most recently met at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, when England emerged as easy victors in a group match before the previous England team reached the quarter-finals.
Southgate's successor is Tuchel, a European and Fifa Club World Cup winner at the London club who has won domestic titles in Ligue 1 and his home country.
Bellamy was formerly an coach at the Belgian side and Burnley to Vincent Kompany, who succeeded him at the German giants.
"Tuchel's an outstanding manager - his achievements speak for themselves," he noted.
"I possess some sort of understanding because the club he left I know individuals who have gone in there. I gain a bit of an insight there of how he works and it's remarkable. "
"His strategic planning is top level and I aimed to be facing such a challenge - see how we adjust because he will. I will get to learn from it. I'd love to reach such heights."
Wales Team Selection
Keepers: Karl Darlow (Leeds), Adam Davies (Sheffield United), King (the Toffees).
Defenders: Cabango (Swansea City), Dasilva (Coventry City), Ben Davies (Tottenham Hotspur), Ronan Kpakio (Cardiff), Lawlor (Cardiff City), Mepham (West Bromwich Albion), Rodon (Leeds United), Williams (Nottingham Forest).
Midfield: Ethan Ampadu (Leeds), Brooks (the Cherries), Jordan James (Leicester City - loaned by Stade Rennais), Sheehan (Bolton Wanderers), Sorba Thomas (Stoke City), Harry Wilson (Fulham), J. Colwill (Cardiff), Rubin Colwill (Cardiff).
Attackers: Broadhead (the Red Dragons), Cullen (Swansea City), Mark Harris (Oxford), Lewis Koumas (Birmingham City - loaned by the Reds), Johnson (Tottenham Hotspur), Moore (Wrexham), I. Davies (Cardiff City).
