Three Lions Team Strength Labelled 'Ridiculous' - Welsh Manager Bellamy
- Published
International friendly: Wales vs England
Venue: London's Wembley, the capital Date: Thursday, 9 October Kick-off: 7:45 PM BST
The Wales head coach says the English player pool is so impressive that a boxing promoter wouldn't match them with the Welsh team.
Bellamy's men face their neighbors in a friendly at the national stadium on this Thursday before their important World Cup qualifier against the Belgians next the following week.
National team coach Tuchel has left the likes of Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Grealish out of his selection for the match against Wales and their qualifying game against the Latvian team.
"The English have a incredible team, similar to France," Bellamy remarked.
"England have a market valuation of 1.4 billion pounds, ours is 170 million. Were you a boxing promoter, you would not match us up. It wouldn't be allowed."
Bellamy explains making sure Wales can compete with the talented opponents is a "driving force".
The Wales head coach added: "We don't go off market prices, but the reality is they have more than a single lineup. They possess two, three, four and the French and other nations have the same level. They have many top talents and that's a fact."
"One right-back went out with injury the recently and there's only two dozen others to choose from! They have over sixty players. I'd love Wales to be well-equipped like them."
These two nations most recently met at the 2022 tournament in the Middle East, when England emerged as easy 3-0 winners in a group match before the previous England team reached the last eight.
The new manager is Thomas Tuchel, a Champions League and Fifa Club World Cup champion at Chelsea who has claimed domestic titles in France and his native Germany.
Bellamy was formerly an coach at the Belgian side and Burnley to Vincent Kompany, who succeeded Tuchel at the German giants.
"He's an outstanding manager - his achievements is proven," he added.
"I have some sort of insight because the team he departed I know individuals who have gone in there. I get a bit of an insight there of his methods and it's very impressive. "
"His tactical detail is elite and I aimed to be facing such a challenge - observe how we adjust because he will. I will get to learn from that. I'd love to get to such heights."
Welsh Squad Selection
Keepers: Darlow (Leeds), Davies (Sheffield Utd), King (the Toffees).
Backline: Ben Cabango (Swansea), Dasilva (Coventry), B. Davies (Tottenham Hotspur), Kpakio (Cardiff), Lawlor (Cardiff), Mepham (West Bromwich Albion), Joe Rodon (Leeds), Williams (Nottingham Forest).
Midfielders: Ampadu (Leeds), Brooks (the Cherries), Jordan James (Leicester - loaned by Rennes), Josh Sheehan (Bolton Wanderers), Thomas (Stoke City), Harry Wilson (the Cottagers), J. Colwill (Cardiff City), Rubin Colwill (Cardiff City).
Forwards: Nathan Broadhead (Wrexham), Liam Cullen (Swansea), Mark Harris (Oxford), Koumas (Birmingham City - loaned by Liverpool), Brennan Johnson (Tottenham Hotspur), Kieffer Moore (Wrexham), I. Davies (Cardiff City).
