Three Lions Squad Depth Labelled 'Absurd' - Welsh Boss Bellamy
- Published
Friendly match: England v Wales
Venue: Wembley Stadium, London Date: October 9th Kick-off: 19:45 BST
The Wales head coach says England's player pool is remarkable that a boxing promoter would not pair them with his Wales side.
Bellamy's men face England in a non-competitive match at the national stadium on Thursday before their crucial World Cup qualifier against Belgium next Monday.
National team coach Thomas Tuchel has omitted the likes of Jude Bellingham, Foden and Grealish from his squad for the Wales friendly and their qualifying game against Latvia.
"England have a ridiculous squad, similar to the French," Bellamy said.
"England have a transfer market value of £1.4bn, Wales' is £170m. Were you a boxing promoter, you wouldn't put us together. That wouldn't be permitted."
He says making sure the Welsh team can face the star-studded rivals is a "key motivation".
Bellamy continued: "Our team don't go off market prices, but the simple fact is they don't just have one team. They possess multiple and France and other nations have the same level. They have many great players and that's a fact."
"A defender went out injured the recently and there are 24 more to choose from! They have 60-odd players. I wish us to be stacked like them."
The neighbouring countries last faced each other at the 2022 World Cup in the Middle East, when England ran out easy victors in a group match before Gareth Southgate's side made it to the quarter-finals.
The new manager is Thomas Tuchel, a European and Fifa Club World Cup winner at Chelsea who has won domestic titles in France and his native Germany.
Bellamy was previously an assistant at Anderlecht and the English club to Vincent Kompany, who succeeded Tuchel at Bayern Munich.
"He's an outstanding coach - his record is proven," he added.
"I possess some sort of understanding because the club he left I know people who have gone in there. I gain a bit of an insight from that of how he works and it's very impressive. "
"His tactical detail is elite and I wanted to be facing such a challenge - observe how we adjust because he adapts too. I can learn from it. I'd love to reach that level."
Welsh Team Selection
Keepers: Darlow (Leeds United), Adam Davies (Sheffield Utd), King (the Toffees).
Backline: Ben Cabango (Swansea), Jay Dasilva (Coventry City), Ben Davies (Tottenham Hotspur), Kpakio (Cardiff), Dylan Lawlor (Cardiff), Mepham (West Brom), Rodon (Leeds United), Neco Williams (Nottingham Forest).
Midfielders: Ampadu (Leeds), Brooks (the Cherries), Jordan James (Leicester - on loan from Stade Rennais), Josh Sheehan (Bolton Wanderers), Thomas (Stoke City), H. Wilson (the Cottagers), Joel Colwill (Cardiff), R. Colwill (Cardiff City).
Attackers: Nathan Broadhead (the Red Dragons), Liam Cullen (Swansea), Harris (Oxford), Koumas (Birmingham - loaned by the Reds), Brennan Johnson (Spurs), Kieffer Moore (Wrexham), I. Davies (Cardiff City).