England Squad Depth Labelled 'Ridiculous' - Wales Boss Craig Bellamy
- Published
International friendly: Wales vs England
Venue: London's Wembley, London Date: October 9th Kick-off: 19:45 BST
Craig Bellamy states the English squad depth is remarkable that a boxing promoter would not pair them with his Wales side.
The Welsh squad meet their neighbors in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday before their important qualifying match against Belgium next the following week.
National team coach Tuchel has left the likes of Jude Bellingham, Foden and Jack Grealish out of his selection for the Wales friendly and their World Cup qualifier against the Latvian team.
"England have a incredible squad, like France," Bellamy remarked.
"They have a transfer market value of £1.4bn, ours is £170m. If you were a boxing promoter, you would not match us up. It wouldn't be allowed."
Bellamy says ensuring the Welsh team can compete with the talented rivals is a "key motivation".
Bellamy continued: "Our team do not rely on values, but the reality is they don't just have a single lineup. They possess two, three, four and the French and other nations have the same level. England have loads of top talents and that's the honest truth."
"One right-back went out injured the other day and there's only two dozen others to go! They have over sixty footballers. I wish Wales to be stacked like them."
The neighbouring countries most recently met at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, when England ran out easy 3-0 winners in a group match before Gareth Southgate's side reached the quarter-finals.
The new manager is Tuchel, a European and world club champion at the London club who has won domestic titles in Ligue 1 and his native Germany.
Bellamy was previously an assistant at the Belgian side and Burnley to Vincent Kompany, who succeeded Tuchel at Bayern Munich.
"He's an outstanding manager - his record is proven," Bellamy noted.
"I possess a degree of understanding because the club he left I know people who have joined. I get a glimpse from that of his methods and it's very impressive. "
"His tactical detail is elite and I aimed to be facing that - see how we adjust because he will. I will get to learn from that. I aspire to get to such heights."
Wales Squad List
Keepers: Karl Darlow (Leeds United), Adam Davies (Sheffield United), King (the Toffees).
Defenders: Cabango (Swansea City), Dasilva (Coventry City), B. Davies (Tottenham Hotspur), Kpakio (Cardiff City), Lawlor (Cardiff), Chris Mepham (West Bromwich Albion), Rodon (Leeds United), Neco Williams (Nottingham Forest).
Midfielders: Ethan Ampadu (Leeds United), Brooks (Bournemouth), J. James (Leicester - loaned by Stade Rennais), Sheehan (Bolton), Thomas (Stoke), Harry Wilson (Fulham), Joel Colwill (Cardiff), Rubin Colwill (Cardiff City).
Forwards: Nathan Broadhead (Wrexham), Cullen (Swansea), Harris (Oxford), Koumas (Birmingham - loaned by the Reds), Brennan Johnson (Spurs), Moore (Wrexham), I. Davies (Cardiff).