Palmer Out of England Squad as Rogers Calls Doubts About Commitment a Lie

Morgan Rogers called suggestions that Cole Palmer is not committed to the England national team "a lie" and "nonsense" after the 24-year-old was left out of the current squad. The Chelsea forward made these remarks on BBC Radio 5 Live following Wednesday's 2-1 Uefa Nations League victory over Croatia at Wembley.

Rogers opened the scoring in that match, while Harry Kane converted a penalty to secure the win. Kane made his 126th appearance for the men's side, a record-breaking milestone in his international career. Despite the team's success, Palmer remained on the bench in London, excluded by manager Thomas Tuchel.

Tuchel stated that Palmer "misses too many chances to impress" and that the management was comfortable with the players who attended the previous two-and-a-half-week camp. The German manager noted that England has sufficient depth at the number 10 position and that Palmer remains in their mindset, though competition for places is intense.

Palmer, a childhood friend of Rogers, has faced scrutiny over his international record. Since his England debut three years ago, he has earned 14 caps, scored two goals, and provided one assist. Those two goals include a strike in the Euro 2024 final against Spain, a match England lost.

His domestic performance contrasts with his international output. Palmer has scored 50 goals and 24 assists in the Premier League. He was named England's men's player of the year for the 2023-24 season, a recognition that followed a strong period of form that included his goal in Berlin.

However, Palmer has featured in only three of Tuchel's 27 matches since the new manager succeeded Gareth Southgate. He was omitted from the summer World Cup squad after a mixed season, and England went on to finish third, losing to Argentina in the semi-final. He was named in Tuchel's first post-World Cup squad but withdrew in September, citing a minor injury despite having played in all of Chelsea's league games up to that point.

Rogers argued that Palmer is managing his body to ensure a long career spanning 10 to 15 years. The forward said Palmer wants to be the best version of himself and that the absence is not a sign of disinterest in representing his country. Rogers pointed to the visible joy and smile on Palmer's face as evidence of his love for the game.

Former goalkeeper Paul Robinson suggested that Tuchel's approach mirrors his management of Jude Bellingham. Bellingham was left out of matches in October of last year before becoming a key figure at the World Cup, where he scored seven goals. Robinson stated that Tuchel's management helped Bellingham realize that the team was the star, not the individual, and implied that a similar lesson is being applied to Palmer.

The exclusion continues a pattern of selective call-ups for Palmer under Tuchel's tenure. The manager emphasized that the decision is not personal and that Palmer will never be assumed to be in a mindset where he refuses to come to camp. The focus remains on performance during the actual camp period, a standard Tuchel applied to the current group of players who contributed to the win over Croatia.