Three Lions Team Depth Called 'Ridiculous' - Wales Manager Bellamy
- Published
Friendly match: England v Wales
Venue: London's Wembley, London Date: October 9th Kick-off: 19:45 BST
The Wales head coach says England's player pool is remarkable that matchmakers wouldn't match them with the Welsh team.
Bellamy's men meet their neighbors in a non-competitive match at the national stadium on this Thursday before their crucial World Cup qualifier against the Belgians next the following week.
England manager Thomas Tuchel has left the likes of Bellingham, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish out of his squad for the match against Wales and their qualifying game against the Latvian team.
"England have a incredible team, like the French," Bellamy remarked.
"England have a market valuation of 1.4 billion pounds, Wales' is £170m. If you were a boxing promoter, you would not match us up. It wouldn't be allowed."
Bellamy explains ensuring Wales can compete with the star-studded opponents is a "key motivation".
Bellamy added: "We do not rely on values, but the simple fact is they don't just have one team. They have two, three, four and the French and other nations have the same level. England have loads of great players and that's a fact."
"A defender was ruled out injured the other day and there's only 24 more to go! They have over sixty players. I'd love Wales to be well-equipped similarly."
The neighbouring countries last faced each other at the 2022 tournament in Qatar, when the English emerged as easy 3-0 winners in a fixture before Gareth Southgate's side reached the last eight.
The new manager is Thomas Tuchel, a European and world club champion at the London club who has won domestic titles in Ligue 1 and his home country.
Bellamy was formerly an coach at Anderlecht and Burnley to Vincent Kompany, who succeeded Tuchel at Bayern Munich.
"Tuchel's an incredible manager - his record is proven," he noted.
"I possess a degree of insight because the club he left I am familiar with individuals who have gone in there. I get a bit of an insight there of how he works and it's very impressive. "
"His tactical detail is top level and I aimed to be up against that - see how you're going to adapt because he adapts too. I will get to learn from that. I'd love to reach that level."
Wales Squad Selection
Keepers: Darlow (Leeds), Adam Davies (Sheffield Utd), King (Everton).
Defenders: Ben Cabango (Swansea City), Jay Dasilva (Coventry City), B. Davies (Tottenham Hotspur), Ronan Kpakio (Cardiff), Dylan Lawlor (Cardiff City), Mepham (West Brom), Joe Rodon (Leeds), Williams (Nottingham Forest).
Midfielders: Ethan Ampadu (Leeds), David Brooks (Bournemouth), J. James (Leicester City - on loan from Rennes), Josh Sheehan (Bolton Wanderers), Thomas (Stoke), Harry Wilson (the Cottagers), J. Colwill (Cardiff), R. Colwill (Cardiff).
Forwards: Nathan Broadhead (Wrexham), Cullen (Swansea City), Mark Harris (Oxford), Koumas (Birmingham - on loan from Liverpool), Brennan Johnson (Tottenham Hotspur), Moore (Wrexham), Isaak Davies (Cardiff City).
