England midfielder Morgan Rogers has defended Chelsea forward Cole Palmer against claims that he is unwilling to represent his country, insisting that his teammate remains eager to play for the national team.
Rogers described the allegations as “a lie” and “nonsense” following England’s 2-1 victory over Croatia in the UEFA Nations League on Thursday.
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The 24-year-old opened the scoring before captain Harry Kane converted a penalty to secure the win in his record-breaking 126th appearance for England.
Palmer was absent from Thomas Tuchel’s squad after the England manager suggested that the forward had missed too many opportunities to impress.
The Chelsea star also missed the previous international camp in September, withdrawing because of a minor injury.
He was subsequently left out of England’s World Cup squad.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live after the Croatia match, Rogers insisted that Palmer had wanted to receive a call-up and represent his country.
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, Rogers said.
He explained that Palmer had struggled with injuries over the past year and had not always been fully fit during matches.
According to Rogers, the forward needs to manage his physical condition carefully to protect his career and maintain his fitness.
He argued that Palmer’s decision to manage his body should not be mistaken for a lack of interest in playing for England.
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,he added.
Palmer has made 14 appearances for England since his international debut three years ago, scoring twice and providing one assist.
One of his goals came in the Euro 2024 final against Spain, where he scored England’s equaliser before the team eventually lost 2-1.
At club level, the forward has recorded 50 Premier League goals and 24 assists.
He was also named England Men’s Player of the Year for the 2023-24 season.
Despite his achievements, Palmer has featured in only three of the 27 matches managed by Tuchel since the German replaced Gareth Southgate.
Tuchel has maintained that Palmer remains part of his plans but stressed that competition for attacking positions in the national team is intense.
“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,” the England manager said.
He also acknowledged Palmer’s desire to represent England, while emphasising that players must make the most of opportunities when selected.
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, Tuchel added.
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Palmer’s return to the England squad will depend on his fitness and ability to compete for a place under Tuchel.
Peculiar Adirika is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, business, and public affairs.
