Three Lions Team Depth Called 'Absurd' - Wales Manager Bellamy

• Published 1 hour ago

Friendly match: Wales vs England

Venue: Wembley Stadium, London Date: Thursday, 9 October Kick-off: 19:45 BST

Craig Bellamy states England's player pool is so impressive that matchmakers wouldn't match them against the Welsh team.

The Welsh squad face their neighbors in a non-competitive match at the national stadium on this Thursday before their crucial qualifying match against the Belgians next the following week.

National team coach Tuchel has left the such as Bellingham, Phil Foden and Grealish out of his selection for the Wales friendly and their qualifying game against the Latvian team.

"The English have a incredible team, similar to France," Bellamy remarked.

"They have a market valuation of 1.4 billion pounds, Wales' is £170m. If you were a fight promoter, you wouldn't match us up. That wouldn't be permitted."

He explains making sure the Welsh team can compete with the talented opponents is a "driving force".

Bellamy added: "Our team don't go off market prices, but the reality is England have more than a single lineup. They have multiple and France and others are similarly stacked. England have many top talents and that's the honest truth."

"One right-back was ruled out injured the other day and there are two dozen others to choose from! They have over sixty footballers. I'd love Wales to be well-equipped similarly."

These two nations last faced each other at the 2022 tournament in the Middle East, when England ran out comfortable victors in a group match 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 won domestic titles in Ligue 1 and his home country.

Bellamy was formerly an assistant at Anderlecht and Burnley to Vincent Kompany, who succeeded Tuchel at Bayern Munich.

"He's an outstanding manager - his achievements is proven," he noted.

"I have some sort of insight because the club he left I am familiar with people who have gone in there. I get a bit of an insight from that of his methods and it's very impressive. "

"His tactical detail is top level and I wanted to be facing such a challenge - see how you're going to adapt because he will. I can learn from that. I'd love to get to that level."

Goalkeepers: Darlow (Leeds United), Adam Davies (Sheffield Utd), King (the Toffees).

Backline: Ben Cabango (Swansea), Dasilva (Coventry), Ben Davies (Tottenham Hotspur), Ronan Kpakio (Cardiff), Dylan Lawlor (Cardiff), Chris Mepham (West Brom), Joe Rodon (Leeds), Neco Williams (Nottingham Forest).

Midfield: Ampadu (Leeds), Brooks (Bournemouth), Jordan James (Leicester City - loaned by Rennes), Josh Sheehan (Bolton Wanderers), Thomas (Stoke City), H. Wilson (Fulham), Joel Colwill (Cardiff), Rubin Colwill (Cardiff City).

Forwards: Broadhead (the Red Dragons), Liam Cullen (Swansea City), Harris (Oxford), Lewis Koumas (Birmingham - loaned by the Reds), Brennan Johnson (Spurs), Kieffer Moore (Wrexham), I. Davies (Cardiff City).