Wales Manager Craig Bellamy Likens Premier League Players To ‘cyborgs’

Craig Bellamy compared Premier League players to “cyborgs” arsenic he discussed nan increasing physicality successful nan crippled aft Thomas Tuchel said agelong throws and nonstop strategies were successful vogue.

The Wales head said he handpicked friendlies against Canada connected Tuesday and England adjacent period – 2 higher-ranked nations – to supply a barometer of his team’s advancement and believes facing nan second astatine Wembley will beryllium nan cleanable warm-up for hosting Belgium successful a crunch World Cup qualifier 4 days later.

Tuchel said agelong throws were “back” and that England must consider adding agelong balls to their attacking weaponry. Bellamy, who was adjunct head to Vincent Kompany successful nan apical formation astatine Burnley, was asked whether he had detected a caller displacement successful styles.

Bellamy said: “I deliberation nan physicality is clear and it has been for a fewer years … It has go a moving game. It has go beyond utmost pinch nan beingness capabilities. We recovered it pinch Burnley – we built a Championship squad that could travel retired of mini spaces. Then spell to nan Premier League: cyborgs, that’s what you’re up against. It was unreal. They conscionable tally you but besides person ridiculous expertise … that’s why you salary £80m for that type of profile. Then you look astir nan squad and spot £40m, £50m, £60m [players].”

Wales big Canada, coached by nan erstwhile Leeds head Jesse Marsch, successful Swansea. Bellamy said of selecting challenging opposition: “I was like: ‘Give maine nan toughest.’ Look, I’m afloat alert I could get beaten and – tin I opportunity this? – get my ass kicked but what would I summation from playing a lesser team, wherever we cognize wherever we are? This is simply a reliable game. We’ll spot wherever we are. It gives america a bully opportunity to beryllium capable to get better.”

Bellamy hopes nan Canada match, nan first men’s location crippled to beryllium held successful Swansea since November 2020 and extracurricular Cardiff since July 2023, will beryllium a sell-out. “I judge nationalist teams, countries for illustration us, should beryllium playing successful beforehand of afloat stadiums,” he said. “I mightiness beryllium pushing it, but I expect that.”

Bellamy was informed that arsenic of Monday day nan Football Association of Wales had sold astir 15,000 tickets. “So, we push again,” he said pinch a smile. “It’s not a meaningless friendly, [it is an] important game.”