Three Lions Squad Strength Called 'Ridiculous' - Welsh Boss Craig Bellamy
- Published
International friendly: Wales vs England
Venue: Wembley Stadium, London Date: Thursday, 9 October Kick-off: 7:45 PM BST
The Wales head coach states the English player pool is remarkable that matchmakers would not match them with the Welsh team.
The Welsh squad meet their neighbors in a non-competitive match at the national stadium on this Thursday before their important World Cup qualifier against the Belgians next Monday.
England manager Thomas Tuchel has omitted the such as Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish from his selection for the match against Wales and their World Cup qualifier against the Latvian team.
"The English have a ridiculous team, like France," the coach said.
"They have a transfer market value of 1.4 billion pounds, Wales' is 170 million. If you were a fight promoter, you wouldn't match us up. It wouldn't be allowed."
Bellamy says ensuring Wales can compete with the star-studded opponents is a "key motivation".
The Wales head coach added: "Our team do not rely on values, but the simple fact is they have more than a single lineup. They have two, three, four and the French and others have the same level. They have loads of great players and that's the honest truth."
"One right-back was ruled out injured the other day and there's only 24 more to go! They've got over sixty footballers. I wish Wales to be well-equipped like them."
The neighbouring countries most recently met at the 2022 World Cup in the Middle East, when the English emerged as easy victors in a fixture before Gareth Southgate's side made it to the last eight.
Southgate's successor is Thomas Tuchel, a European and world club champion at Chelsea who has claimed league championships in France and his home country.
Bellamy was previously an coach at the Belgian side and the English club to Kompany, who replaced him at Bayern Munich.
"He's an incredible manager - his record speak for themselves," he noted.
"I have some sort of insight because the club he left I am familiar with people who have gone in there. I gain a bit of an insight from that of how he works and it's remarkable. "
"His strategic planning is top level and I aimed to be up against that - observe how we adjust because he adapts too. I will get to learn from it. I aspire to get to such heights."
Wales Team Selection
Keepers: Karl Darlow (Leeds United), Adam Davies (Sheffield United), King (Everton).
Backline: Ben Cabango (Swansea City), Dasilva (Coventry City), Ben Davies (Spurs), Kpakio (Cardiff), Dylan Lawlor (Cardiff), Mepham (West Bromwich Albion), Joe Rodon (Leeds United), Williams (Nottingham Forest).
Midfielders: Ampadu (Leeds United), Brooks (Bournemouth), J. James (Leicester City - on loan from Rennes), Josh Sheehan (Bolton), Sorba Thomas (Stoke City), H. Wilson (the Cottagers), Joel Colwill (Cardiff City), Rubin Colwill (Cardiff City).
Forwards: Broadhead (the Red Dragons), Cullen (Swansea City), Harris (Oxford United), Lewis Koumas (Birmingham City - on loan from the Reds), Brennan Johnson (Spurs), Kieffer Moore (Wrexham), Isaak Davies (Cardiff).
