The manager of Wales since June 2024, Craig Bellamy is a keen observer of British football and its evolution. Questioned following Thomas Tuchel's statements about the return of long throw-ins to England's attacking threat, the former Newcastle United and Liverpool midfielder reflected on the athletic gap he has observed between the Premier League and other divisions: "Physicality has become paramount, and the game is based on running, taken to an extreme level. At Burnley, when I was Vincent Kompany's assistant, we built a Championship team capable of expressing themselves in tight spaces. Then, when we moved up to the Premier League, it was unreal. They're cyborgs, that's who you're playing against. They suffocate you with their running volume while possessing exceptional technical quality." Could this bring back the direct style of play advocated by the Three Lions manager?
For Craig Bellamy, Wales manager, ‘Premier League players are cyborgs’ / ©Icon Sport