England Team Depth Labelled 'Absurd' - Welsh Boss Craig Bellamy
- Published
International friendly: England v Wales
Venue: London's Wembley, London Date: Thursday, 9 October Kick-off: 19:45 BST
Craig Bellamy states England's player pool is so impressive that a boxing promoter wouldn't match them with the Welsh team.
The Welsh squad meet their neighbors in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday before their crucial qualifying match against the Belgians next the following week.
National team coach Thomas Tuchel has left the such as Jude Bellingham, Foden and Jack Grealish from his selection for the Wales friendly and their qualifying game against Latvia.
"England have a incredible team, similar to France," Bellamy said.
"England have a market valuation of 1.4 billion pounds, Wales' 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 compete with the star-studded opponents is a "key motivation".
Bellamy continued: "We don't go off values, but the reality is they have more than a single lineup. They possess two, three, four and the French and other nations are similarly stacked. England have loads of great players and that's the honest truth."
"A defender was ruled out with injury the recently and there's only two dozen others to choose from! They've got over sixty footballers. I'd love us to be stacked similarly."
These two nations most recently met at the 2022 tournament in Qatar, when England emerged as easy victors in a group match before the previous England team reached the quarter-finals.
Southgate's successor is Tuchel, a Champions League and world club champion at the London club who has won domestic titles in France and his home country.
The Welsh boss was formerly an assistant at the Belgian side and the English club to Vincent Kompany, who replaced Tuchel at the German giants.
"He's an incredible coach - his record speak for themselves," Bellamy added.
"I have some sort of insight because the team he departed I am familiar with individuals who have gone in there. I gain a glimpse there of how he works and it's very impressive. "
"His strategic planning is elite and I aimed to be facing such a challenge - see how you're going to adapt because he adapts too. I can learn from that. I'd love to get to such heights."
Wales Squad List
Keepers: Darlow (Leeds United), Davies (Sheffield Utd), Tom King (Everton).
Backline: Cabango (Swansea), Jay Dasilva (Coventry), B. Davies (Tottenham Hotspur), Kpakio (Cardiff City), Dylan Lawlor (Cardiff City), Mepham (West Bromwich Albion), Joe Rodon (Leeds), Williams (Nottingham Forest).
Midfield: Ampadu (Leeds United), David Brooks (Bournemouth), J. James (Leicester City - loaned by Rennes), Josh Sheehan (Bolton), Thomas (Stoke), H. Wilson (Fulham), J. Colwill (Cardiff), R. Colwill (Cardiff).
Attackers: Broadhead (the Red Dragons), Liam Cullen (Swansea City), Harris (Oxford United), Koumas (Birmingham - loaned by Liverpool), Brennan Johnson (Spurs), Kieffer Moore (Wrexham), Isaak Davies (Cardiff).
