England Team Depth Called 'Absurd' - Wales Boss Bellamy
- Published
International friendly: England v Wales
Venue: London's Wembley, London Date: October 9th Kick-off: 7:45 PM BST
Craig Bellamy states the English player pool is remarkable that matchmakers would not pair 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 Belgium next the following week.
National team coach Thomas Tuchel has left the likes of Jude Bellingham, Foden and Grealish out of his squad for the match against Wales and their World Cup qualifier against the Latvian team.
"England have a ridiculous squad, similar to the French," Bellamy remarked.
"They have a transfer market value of £1.4bn, ours is 170 million. Were you a boxing promoter, you would not put us together. That wouldn't be permitted."
Bellamy explains ensuring Wales can compete with the star-studded opponents is a "driving force".
Bellamy added: "Our team don't go off values, but the reality is England don't just have a single lineup. They have multiple and the French and other nations have the same level. England have loads of great players and that's a fact."
"A defender went out with injury the recently and there are 24 more to choose from! They have over sixty players. I'd love us to be stacked similarly."
The neighbouring countries most recently met at the 2022 World Cup in the Middle East, when England emerged as comfortable 3-0 winners in a fixture before Gareth Southgate's side reached the quarter-finals.
Southgate's successor is Thomas Tuchel, a European and Fifa Club World Cup winner at Chelsea who has won league championships in Ligue 1 and his home country.
Bellamy was formerly an coach at Anderlecht and the English club to Kompany, who replaced Tuchel at the German giants.
"Tuchel's an incredible coach - his achievements is proven," Bellamy noted.
"I have some sort of understanding because the club he left I know individuals who have joined. I gain a glimpse there of how he works and it's very impressive. "
"His strategic planning is elite and I wanted to be up against that - observe how we adjust because he adapts too. I can learn from it. I'd love to get to that level."
Welsh Team Selection
Keepers: Darlow (Leeds United), Adam Davies (Sheffield United), King (Everton).
Defenders: Ben Cabango (Swansea), Dasilva (Coventry City), Ben Davies (Spurs), Kpakio (Cardiff City), Dylan Lawlor (Cardiff), Chris Mepham (West Bromwich Albion), Rodon (Leeds United), Williams (Nottingham Forest).
Midfield: Ethan Ampadu (Leeds), David Brooks (Bournemouth), J. James (Leicester City - on loan from Stade Rennais), Josh Sheehan (Bolton), Sorba Thomas (Stoke City), H. Wilson (Fulham), J. Colwill (Cardiff), Rubin Colwill (Cardiff).
Attackers: Broadhead (the Red Dragons), Cullen (Swansea City), Harris (Oxford), Lewis Koumas (Birmingham City - on loan from Liverpool), Johnson (Tottenham Hotspur), Moore (Wrexham), Isaak Davies (Cardiff City).
