Craig Bellamy knows he’s taken risk by pitting Wales against Canada and England

Wales boss Craig Bellamy admits he could get his “arse kicked” after choosing to play friendlies against Canada and England.

Bellamy’s side host Jesse Marsch’s Canucks in Swansea on Tuesday before travelling to Wembley next month ahead of resuming World Cup qualifying action against Belgium.

“I chose them,” Bellamy said of the first two friendlies of his reign after six Nations League ties and five World Cup qualifiers.

“Give me the toughest. I’m fully aware I could get beaten and get my arse kicked. But what I would gain from playing a lesser team?

“The Canada one really fitted us and it was nice to get the Tuesday after the trip to Kazakhstan. Monday would have been really difficult for us.

“The opportunity of England to play at Wembley. Never underestimate it, amazing.”

Wales play England – ranked fourth in the world – on October 9, while Canada are 28th and three places higher than Bellamy’s side.

Wales returned from their marathon World Cup trip to the Central Asia country of Kazakhstan – a round trip of 7,000 miles – on Friday night.

Kieffer Moore’s first-half goal gave them a vital 1-0 victory to give Bellamy a winning record of 54.5 per cent – the best win percentage of any permanent Welsh manager.

But Bellamy was critical of the performance in Astana, saying his team lacked intensity and that will “get exposed if they do not show good habits”.

He said: “We’re going to have to be alive and ready to go into those games. You’ve got to run, sprint and change direction when that ball goes over the top. No ambling back or ploddy players.

“If we don’t do that against these type of teams we’re going to get hurt. That’s why these games are so important, we have to have the right habits.”

Welsh hopes of automatic qualification were dented on Sunday as Belgium and North Macedonia leapfrogged them in Group J with respective 6-0 and 5-0 thrashings of Kazakhstan and Liechtenstein.

With goal difference being the first groundbreaker in the event of teams finishing level on points, Wales find themselves playing catch-up with three games left to play.

Even winning their three remaining fixtures might not be enough for Wales to take top spot and avoid the play-offs.

Belgium are eight better off than Wales’ plus-five goal difference and North Macedonia four.

Bellamy said: “I can’t look at that, surely? We’ve just got to be the best we can be, and wherever that takes us it takes us.

“I remember Montenegro-Turkey (when Montenegro won 3-1 to help Wales finish top of their Nations League group), we didn’t expect it. Don’t think anyone did.

“But it happened. These things happen. Strange moments. That’s what makes so qualifying so harsh, but so romantic at the same time.”