Three Lions Squad Depth Called 'Absurd' - Wales Manager Craig Bellamy

• Published 60 minutes ago

International friendly: Wales vs England

Venue: London's Wembley, London Date: Thursday, 9 October Kick-off: 7:45 PM BST

Craig Bellamy says the English squad depth is so impressive that matchmakers wouldn't match them with his Wales side.

The Welsh squad face their neighbors in a friendly at the national stadium on this Thursday before their important qualifying match against Belgium next the following week.

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

"England have a incredible team, similar to the French," Bellamy said.

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

Bellamy says ensuring Wales can face the talented rivals is a "driving force".

The Wales head coach continued: "We do not rely on market prices, but the simple fact is they don't just have a single lineup. They possess multiple and France and other nations are similarly stacked. England have loads of top talents and that's the honest truth."

"One right-back was ruled out with injury the recently and there are 24 more to go! They've got 60-odd players. I wish us to be stacked like them."

The neighbouring countries most recently met at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, when England emerged as comfortable 3-0 winners in a group match before the previous England team reached the quarter-finals.

Southgate's successor is Thomas Tuchel, a European and Fifa Club World Cup winner at Chelsea who has won domestic titles in Ligue 1 and his home country.

Bellamy was previously an coach at the Belgian side and Burnley to Vincent Kompany, who succeeded him at the German giants.

"Tuchel's an incredible coach - his record speak for themselves," Bellamy noted.

"I possess a degree of insight because the club he left I know people who have gone in there. I gain a glimpse from that of his methods and it's remarkable. "

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

Goalkeepers: Karl Darlow (Leeds), Adam Davies (Sheffield Utd), King (Everton).

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

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

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