Thomas Tuchel has thrown Cole Palmer’s England future into major doubt by questioning whether the Chelsea attacker wants to be part of his squad.
England’s head coach did not hold back on Palmer’s latest withdrawal from international duty, warning that the 24-year-old has missed too many opportunities to play for his country. Palmer has only 14 caps and his decision not to join up with the squad this week, because of a minor muscular injury, caused disappointment given he was left out of Tuchel’s World Cup squad after struggling with form and fitness last season.
Tuchel has put a lot of store in team spirit and is clear about wanting commitment. The German has rarely been able to work with Palmer, who had earned a high-profile recall after making a strong start to the campaign, and did not go down the diplomatic route when it was suggested the former Manchester City player does not seem desperate to play for England. “Hard to argue against what you’re saying,” Tuchel said.
The line came with a warning for Palmer. “He misses too many camps,” Tuchel said. “That’s the overall headline. We have a lot of invitations and he couldn’t make this one. It is what it is. I am not ready to focus on players who are not here. The players that are here have my full attention.
“It is a missed opportunity. He [Palmer] misses too many opportunities. I don’t blame him for it. It is just a fact. He misses way too many camps with injuries, and I only want to rely on what I witness within my team, and for that you have to be in camp.”
The idea of asking Palmer to join the squad to build connections did not cross Tuchel’s mind. “To bring someone and take away capacity from our physios, it’s not helpful,” he said. “This is about the guys who are here and this is where the energy goes.”
England open their Nations League campaign by hosting Spain at Wembley on Saturday evening and Tuchel is not short of alternatives to Palmer. Morgan Gibbs-White was called up as Palmer’s replacement from a holiday in Dubai.
“It leaves us with Jude Bellingham, Morgan Rogers, Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze,” Tuchel said. “All in camp. All desperate to be here. All available. And all ready to go, ready to stop a holiday after one day in Dubai.”
Palmer, who has played in all of Chelsea’s Premier League games this season, was not the only player to withdraw. However Tuchel has no issue with Tino Livramento, who missed Newcastle’s win over Hull last weekend. Concerns over the withdrawals of Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo and Marcus Rashford were also brushed aside. Declan Rice, also unavailable, was given a pass. The Arsenal midfielder played through pain at the World Cup and has had a draining workload.
“Every case is individual and if Declan calls me and explains to me and I actually see him play v Brighton, I see straight away on TV that something is off,” Tuchel said. “He just confirmed that impression. Every case is different and I knew from Marcus, I knew from Kobbie that they play with discomfort.”
England go into their game against the world champions hoping to make a statement after the disappointment of their World Cup semi-final defeat by Argentina. There has been a lot of focus on English football’s DNA but Rogers argued that Tuchel’s side are capable of keeping the ball if they go 1-0 up against Spain. The pain of losing to Argentina lingers.
“We’re definitely good enough to do it,” the Chelsea attacker said. “But there’s not many teams in the world who can do that, especially in a World Cup semi-final in that moment. I was on the pitch, I felt it, we’re doing everything we can not to let them score and sometimes that can be a negative thought.
“It is about keeping that calmness and composure. As heartbreaking as it was, I’m hoping that experience will put me and the group in massive stead going forward, that in those situations we can remember how it felt when the whistle went in that game, of how the last half-hour [against Argentina] felt. It just felt a bit sour, the way it ended.”
Rogers accepted that other forwards needed to lower the side’s reliance on Harry Kane and Bellingham for goals. “They’re not going to be here for ever,” he said. “They might not be here for a camp or whatever, and other people need to step up. Starting now, the World Cup is done.”
Tuchel has a call to make at right-back, with Jarell Quansah competing with Trent Alexander-Arnold. The uncapped Alex Scott hopes to get the nod over Myles Lewis-Skelly and James Garner in midfield.
