Craig Bellamy hits out at Thomas Tuchel critics and insists England made right call

Proud Welshman Craig Bellamy insists “everyone gets caught up” in Thomas Tuchel being German when winning is all that matters.

Wales boss Bellamy laughed off questions about Tuchel’s nationality and claims England had to go for the best man for the job. Bellamy promised to try and upset Tuchel’s England at Wembley in Thursday night's friendly but he insists the ex-Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss can win the World Cup next summer.

Former Wales striker Bellamy said: “Everyone gets caught up in this. What’s the most important thing for England to do? I don't believe it matters. Get the best person.

"If the most incredible coach - and he happens to be from your country - that's a win-win. I always believe it should be the best person, it does not matter where they are from. Just get the best person who will help you get the moment you want. England have a top manager, who has won the Champions League.

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"You have an incredible squad. It is getting them into the right system. If you look at Spain, did they have all their best players? No, they went in a different direction that fitted the way the manager wanted to play.

"I'm expected to qualify. Rightly so. You want that expectation, you don't hide away from it. You don't have a right to win it. You have a right to expect to win. We always talk of pressure as a privilege. With an experienced manager like you have now it is normal.”

Bellamy also says England have one of the best players in the world in Harry Kane who is in prolific form for Bayern Munich boss Vincent Kompany. Bellamy said: “One of my best friends coaches him. We have players who have played with him. I know a lot about him. I think he is the most complete player I have seen at this present moment.

“But we are here to come and play our brand of football in difficult circumstances in an incredible place like Wembley. It is exciting. We are not here as tourists to enjoy the occasion. We are here to be the best version of ourselves.”

England have met Wales at the last World Cup in Qatar, the 2016 Euros and also a friendly in 2020 and the Three Lions have won all three. Wales have not won at Wembley since 1977. Wales veteran Ben Davies said: “If I look back at that game in Qatar, we definitely weren’t at our best, not just because of the result but we didn’t show our best and what got us there.

“But there’s a confidence through the group that we will be able to play better and put on a better performance than last time. The 2016 one hurt because it was last minute, a tough one to take. The friendly was a tough game but we will be determined to give a better account of ourselves.

“It’s definitely in our minds. The sense of pride. We’ve definitely come here to try and win even though it’s a friendly but there’s a competitive edge to it, too.”

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