Morgan Rogers has defended his Chelsea team-mate Cole Palmer against suggestions that the 24-year-old lacks commitment to the England national team, calling such claims "a lie" and "nonsense". Rogers scored in Wednesday's 2-1 Nations League victory over Croatia at Wembley, with Harry Kane adding a penalty on his record-breaking 126th appearance for the men's side. According to BBC Sport, Palmer was omitted from the squad by manager Thomas Tuchel, who stated the playmaker "misses too many chances to impress".
The 24-year-old forward has faced mounting scrutiny following his exclusion, particularly after withdrawing from England's previous camp in September citing a minor injury. Palmer was also absent from the World Cup squad earlier in the year. When asked about the criticism directed at his childhood friend following the victory, Rogers offered an emphatic rebuttal during an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live.
He wants to be here. He wanted to get called up and he wanted to come and represent his country as he always has done. He was in quite a low place with his injuries last year and didn't feel 100% himself on the pitch, so he wants to be here and he wants to be the best version of himself.
Rogers went on to explain that Palmer's management of his physical condition should not be interpreted as a lack of desire to play for England.
But he also has to look at his body. He wants to play for 10 or 15 years, he also has to manage himself. If he has to manage himself in the short term for the greater good then he has to do that and you have to fully support it.
The forward stressed that questions about Palmer's commitment were unfounded.
It has nothing to do with England or not wanting to play with England. It's a nonsense really that people are questioning someone that wants to play for England. It's a lie. You see the joy and smile on his face, how much he loves the game, so I honestly don't get it and he doesn't get it.
Palmer's Recent England Record
Since making his debut three years ago, Palmer has earned only 14 caps for England, scoring twice and providing one assist. One of those goals came in the Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain in Berlin. This record stands in stark contrast to his club performances, where he has scored 50 Premier League goals and provided 24 assists. He was named England's men's player of the year for the 2023-24 season following his impressive form, including his strike in the European Championship final.
However, Palmer's involvement under Tuchel has been minimal. According to ESPN, Palmer's most recent England appearance came in March during a 1-0 home defeat to Japan, and he had featured in just three matches for England in the two years preceding his latest omission. Since Tuchel took over from Gareth Southgate as manager, Palmer has appeared in only three of the coach's 27 games.
The former Manchester City player missed selection for the summer World Cup, where England finished third after losing to Argentina in the semi-final. He was included in Tuchel's initial squad following that tournament but withdrew despite having played in all of Chelsea's league matches at that point.
Tuchel's Reasoning and Selection Philosophy
Tuchel explained his decision to leave Palmer out of the current squad by pointing to the depth of attacking talent available.
We have enough number 10s and we stick to the guys who were in the previous camp because we were happy with the two and a half weeks we had together. I guess everyone is desperate to play for England and Cole is no exception. We are speaking now about a player that is not in camp. It counts when you are in camp and I just said last time that he misses too many opportunities to impress.
Despite the firm stance on Palmer's omission, Tuchel stressed that his decision carried no personal animosity.
It's not personal. We will never assume Cole is in the mindset never to come to the camp. Cole is always in our mindset but the competition is on.
The Bellingham Precedent
Palmer should not lose hope of returning to Tuchel's favour, as the manager has previously demonstrated a willingness to recall players after periods of exclusion. Jude Bellingham was left out of the squad for a friendly against Wales and a World Cup qualifier against Latvia in October of the previous year. The Real Madrid midfielder subsequently became a key figure in England's World Cup campaign, scoring seven goals.
Former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson drew parallels between Tuchel's handling of Bellingham and his current approach to Palmer.
You can see what Thomas Tuchel is doing when you look at what he's done with Jude Bellingham. It was only 12 months or so that Jude Bellingham was getting left out of an England squad. Jude Bellingham was getting left out of England starting XIs. Call it what you want, but it was management from Thomas Tuchel to make Jude Bellingham realise that he wasn't the lone star of this team. The team was the star. The team was better with Jude Bellingham in it, playing at his highest level. There was a lesson in his management skills with Jude Bellingham and I wouldn't be surprised if he's doing the same now.
What Happens Next
England's victory over Croatia on 12 November secured the team's place in the Nations League quarter-finals. The squad will now turn attention to a crucial fixture against Spain in Madrid on Sunday 15 November at 7:45pm GMT, with the match set to determine which side finishes as Group A3 winners.
