Three Lions Team Strength Called 'Ridiculous' - Welsh Manager Craig Bellamy
- Published
Friendly match: Wales vs England
Venue: Wembley Stadium, the capital Date: October 9th Kick-off: 19:45 BST
The Wales head coach says England's squad depth is remarkable that a boxing promoter would not match them with his Wales side.
Bellamy's men meet England in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday before their crucial World Cup qualifier against Belgium next the following week.
England manager Tuchel has left the such as Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Grealish from his selection for the Wales friendly and their qualifying game against the Latvian team.
"The English have a incredible squad, similar to France," the coach remarked.
"England have a market valuation of £1.4bn, ours is 170 million. If you were a fight promoter, you wouldn't put us together. It wouldn't be allowed."
He explains ensuring the Welsh team can face the talented opponents is a "key motivation".
Bellamy continued: "Our team don't go off market prices, but the reality is England don't just have a single lineup. They possess two, three, four and the French and others have the same level. England have loads of great players and that's the honest truth."
"A defender went out injured the other day and there are two dozen others to choose from! They've got 60-odd footballers. I wish Wales to be stacked similarly."
These two nations most recently met at the 2022 tournament in the Middle East, when the English ran out easy 3-0 winners in a group match before Gareth Southgate's side made it to the last eight.
The new manager is Tuchel, a European and world club champion at Chelsea who has claimed league championships in Ligue 1 and his home country.
Bellamy was formerly an coach at the Belgian side and the English club to Vincent Kompany, who replaced him at the German giants.
"Tuchel's an outstanding coach - his record is proven," he added.
"I possess some sort of insight because the team he departed I am familiar with individuals who have gone in there. I get a bit of an insight there of his methods and it's remarkable. "
"His tactical detail 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 aspire to reach such heights."
Welsh Team List
Goalkeepers: Karl Darlow (Leeds), Davies (Sheffield Utd), King (Everton).
Backline: Cabango (Swansea), Dasilva (Coventry City), B. Davies (Tottenham Hotspur), Kpakio (Cardiff City), Dylan Lawlor (Cardiff), Mepham (West Brom), Rodon (Leeds United), Williams (Forest).
Midfield: Ampadu (Leeds), David Brooks (Bournemouth), Jordan James (Leicester - on loan from Rennes), Josh Sheehan (Bolton Wanderers), Sorba Thomas (Stoke City), Harry Wilson (the Cottagers), J. Colwill (Cardiff City), R. Colwill (Cardiff).
Forwards: Broadhead (Wrexham), Cullen (Swansea City), Mark Harris (Oxford), Koumas (Birmingham - on loan from the Reds), Brennan Johnson (Tottenham Hotspur), Kieffer Moore (Wrexham), I. Davies (Cardiff City).
