England Squad Depth Called 'Absurd' - Wales Manager Bellamy

• Published 1 hour ago

Friendly match: Wales vs England

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

The Wales head coach states the English squad depth is remarkable that a boxing promoter wouldn't match them against his Wales side.

Bellamy's men face their neighbors in a non-competitive match at the national stadium on this Thursday before their important qualifying match against the Belgians next Monday.

England manager Tuchel has left the likes of Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Grealish from his squad for the match against Wales and their qualifying game against the Latvian team.

"The English have a ridiculous squad, similar to the French," the coach said.

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

Bellamy explains ensuring the Welsh team can compete with the star-studded rivals is a "key motivation".

Bellamy continued: "We don't go off market prices, but the simple fact is they don't just have a single lineup. They have two, three, four and France and other nations are similarly stacked. They have loads of top talents and that's a fact."

"A defender went out injured the other day and there's only 24 more to go! They have over sixty footballers. I'd love us to be well-equipped like them."

The neighbouring countries most recently met at the 2022 tournament in Qatar, when the English emerged as comfortable victors in a group match before Gareth Southgate's side reached the last eight.

Southgate's successor is Tuchel, a European and world club champion at Chelsea who has won domestic titles in France and his native Germany.

The Welsh boss was previously an coach at Anderlecht and Burnley to Vincent Kompany, who succeeded Tuchel at Bayern Munich.

"He's an outstanding manager - his record speak for themselves," he noted.

"I possess some sort of insight because the club he left I know individuals who have joined. I gain a bit of an insight there of how he works and it's very impressive. "

"His strategic planning is top level and I wanted to be facing such a challenge - observe how we adjust because he will. I will get to learn from that. I aspire to reach that level."

Goalkeepers: Darlow (Leeds), Adam Davies (Sheffield United), Tom King (Everton).

Backline: Ben Cabango (Swansea City), Dasilva (Coventry City), Ben Davies (Tottenham Hotspur), Ronan Kpakio (Cardiff City), Dylan Lawlor (Cardiff City), Mepham (West Bromwich Albion), Rodon (Leeds United), Neco Williams (Forest).

Midfield: Ampadu (Leeds United), David Brooks (Bournemouth), Jordan James (Leicester - loaned by Rennes), Sheehan (Bolton), Thomas (Stoke City), Harry Wilson (the Cottagers), J. Colwill (Cardiff), Rubin Colwill (Cardiff City).

Attackers: Broadhead (Wrexham), Cullen (Swansea), Harris (Oxford United), Koumas (Birmingham City - loaned by Liverpool), Johnson (Tottenham Hotspur), Kieffer Moore (Wrexham), I. Davies (Cardiff City).