Three Lions Squad Strength Called 'Absurd' - Welsh Boss Craig Bellamy
- Published
International friendly: Wales vs England
Venue: London's Wembley, the capital Date: October 9th Kick-off: 7:45 PM BST
Craig Bellamy states the English player pool is so impressive that matchmakers would not match them against his Wales side.
The Welsh squad face their neighbors in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday before their important qualifying match against the Belgians next Monday.
England manager Tuchel has omitted the likes of Bellingham, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish from his selection for the match against Wales and their qualifying game against Latvia.
"England have a incredible squad, similar to the French," the coach said.
"England have a market valuation of £1.4bn, ours is 170 million. If you were a fight promoter, you wouldn't match us up. It wouldn't be allowed."
He says ensuring Wales can compete with the star-studded rivals is a "driving force".
The Wales head coach added: "Our team don't go off values, but the reality is they don't just have a single lineup. They have multiple and the French and other nations are similarly stacked. England have loads of great players and that's a fact."
"A defender went out with injury the recently and there's only two dozen others to choose from! They have over sixty footballers. I'd love us to be well-equipped similarly."
These two nations last faced each other at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, when the English ran out easy 3-0 winners in a group match before Gareth Southgate's side made it to the quarter-finals.
Southgate's successor is Tuchel, a European and world club winner at the London club who has won league championships in Ligue 1 and his home country.
The Welsh boss was previously an coach at the Belgian side and the English club to Vincent Kompany, who replaced Tuchel at the German giants.
"He's an outstanding manager - his achievements speak for themselves," he added.
"I possess some sort of insight because the team he departed I am familiar with people who have gone in there. I get a bit of an insight from that of his methods and it's very impressive. "
"His strategic planning is elite and I aimed to be facing such a challenge - observe how we adjust because he adapts too. I can learn from it. I aspire to get to such heights."
Wales Team Selection
Goalkeepers: Karl Darlow (Leeds), Adam Davies (Sheffield United), King (the Toffees).
Defenders: Cabango (Swansea City), Dasilva (Coventry), B. Davies (Spurs), Kpakio (Cardiff City), Lawlor (Cardiff City), Mepham (West Brom), Rodon (Leeds United), Neco Williams (Forest).
Midfielders: Ethan Ampadu (Leeds United), David Brooks (Bournemouth), Jordan James (Leicester - loaned by Rennes), Sheehan (Bolton), Thomas (Stoke City), Harry Wilson (Fulham), J. Colwill (Cardiff), Rubin Colwill (Cardiff).
Forwards: Broadhead (the Red Dragons), Liam Cullen (Swansea), Harris (Oxford United), Lewis Koumas (Birmingham - loaned by Liverpool), Johnson (Spurs), Moore (Wrexham), Isaak Davies (Cardiff City).
