England Team Strength Called 'Absurd' - Welsh Manager Craig Bellamy

• Published 60 minutes ago

Friendly match: Wales vs England

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

Craig Bellamy states England's squad depth is so impressive that a boxing promoter would not pair them with the Welsh team.

The Welsh squad meet England in a non-competitive match at Wembley on this Thursday before their important qualifying match against Belgium next Monday.

England manager Thomas Tuchel has left the likes of Bellingham, Foden and Jack Grealish from his squad for the Wales friendly and their qualifying game against Latvia.

"The English have a ridiculous squad, like the French," the coach remarked.

"England have a transfer market value of 1.4 billion pounds, Wales' is £170m. Were you a fight promoter, you wouldn't put us together. It wouldn't be allowed."

He explains ensuring Wales can face the talented rivals is a "driving force".

The Wales head coach added: "Our team do not rely on market prices, but the reality is England don't just have a single lineup. They have two, three, four and the French and other nations have the same level. England have loads of great players and that's the honest truth."

"A defender went out with injury the recently and there's only 24 more to choose from! They have 60-odd footballers. I wish Wales to be well-equipped like them."

The neighbouring countries last faced each other at the 2022 tournament in Qatar, when England emerged as comfortable 3-0 winners in a group match before Gareth Southgate's side made it to the quarter-finals.

The new manager is Thomas Tuchel, a European and world club champion at Chelsea who has claimed domestic titles in Ligue 1 and his native Germany.

Bellamy was formerly an coach at the Belgian side and the English club to Kompany, who succeeded him at the German giants.

"He's an incredible coach - his achievements is proven," Bellamy noted.

"I possess 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 there of how he works and it's very impressive. "

"His tactical detail is elite and I wanted to be facing that - observe how we adjust because he will. I will get to learn from that. I aspire to reach that level."

Keepers: Darlow (Leeds United), Adam Davies (Sheffield Utd), King (Everton).

Backline: Ben Cabango (Swansea City), Jay Dasilva (Coventry), B. Davies (Spurs), Ronan Kpakio (Cardiff), Dylan Lawlor (Cardiff City), Chris Mepham (West Brom), Rodon (Leeds United), Neco Williams (Nottingham Forest).

Midfielders: Ethan Ampadu (Leeds United), David Brooks (the Cherries), J. James (Leicester - on loan from Rennes), Josh Sheehan (Bolton), Sorba Thomas (Stoke), Harry Wilson (Fulham), J. Colwill (Cardiff), Rubin Colwill (Cardiff City).

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