England Team Strength Labelled 'Absurd' - Wales Manager Bellamy
- Published
International friendly: Wales vs England
Venue: Wembley Stadium, the capital Date: October 9th Kick-off: 7:45 PM BST
The Wales head coach states the English squad depth is so impressive that a boxing promoter wouldn't match them against the Welsh team.
Bellamy's men face England in a non-competitive match at the national stadium on Thursday before their important World Cup qualifier against the Belgians next Monday.
National team coach Thomas Tuchel has left the such as Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Grealish from his selection for the Wales friendly and their qualifying game against Latvia.
"England have a incredible team, like France," Bellamy said.
"England have a transfer market value of £1.4bn, ours is 170 million. If you were a boxing promoter, you wouldn't put us together. That wouldn't be permitted."
Bellamy says ensuring the Welsh team can compete with the star-studded rivals is a "driving force".
The Wales head coach continued: "We do not rely on values, but the simple fact is England have more than one team. They possess two, three, four and the French and others are similarly stacked. England have loads of great players and that's a fact."
"One right-back went out with injury the recently and there are 24 more to choose from! They have over sixty footballers. I wish Wales to be well-equipped similarly."
These two nations last faced each other at the 2022 World Cup in the Middle East, when the English ran out easy victors in a fixture before the previous England team reached the last eight.
Southgate's successor is Tuchel, a European and Fifa Club World Cup winner at Chelsea who has claimed domestic titles in France and his home country.
The Welsh boss was formerly an assistant at Anderlecht and the English club to Vincent Kompany, who replaced him at Bayern Munich.
"He's an outstanding coach - his achievements speak for themselves," Bellamy noted.
"I have a degree of understanding because the team he departed I know people who have joined. I get a bit of an insight from that of how he works and it's remarkable. "
"His strategic planning is top level and I wanted to be facing that - observe how we adjust because he adapts too. I can learn from it. I'd love to reach that level."
Welsh Team List
Keepers: Karl Darlow (Leeds United), Davies (Sheffield United), King (Everton).
Defenders: Ben Cabango (Swansea), Jay Dasilva (Coventry City), B. Davies (Spurs), Ronan Kpakio (Cardiff), Dylan Lawlor (Cardiff City), Chris Mepham (West Bromwich Albion), Rodon (Leeds), Neco Williams (Nottingham Forest).
Midfield: Ampadu (Leeds United), David Brooks (the Cherries), Jordan James (Leicester - loaned by Rennes), Sheehan (Bolton Wanderers), Thomas (Stoke), Harry Wilson (Fulham), J. Colwill (Cardiff), R. Colwill (Cardiff).
Attackers: Broadhead (Wrexham), Cullen (Swansea), Mark Harris (Oxford United), Koumas (Birmingham City - loaned by Liverpool), Brennan Johnson (Tottenham Hotspur), Moore (Wrexham), Isaak Davies (Cardiff).
