Morgan Rogers dismissed claims that Cole Palmer is not committed to the England national team, calling them false and nonsense. Rogers made the remarks after scoring his first goal on Wednesday in England’s 2-1 win over Croatia in the UEFA Nations League.
"He wants to be here," Rogers told BBC Radio 5 Live. "He wanted to be called up and he wanted to come and represent his country as he has always done." Rogers added that Palmer had been in a fairly difficult situation last year due to injuries and did not feel 100 per cent on the pitch. "He wants to be the best version of himself," Rogers continued. "He has to look after his body and he wants to play for 10 or 15 years. It has nothing to do with England or not wanting to play for England."
Rogers was clear in his condemnation of the criticism directed at Palmer. "It is nonsense for people to question someone who wants to play for England. It is a lie," he stated. Both Rogers and Palmer are 24 years old.
Harry Kane added a penalty on his record 126th appearance for the men’s national team. Palmer was left out of the squad after manager Thomas Tuchel said he was "missing too many opportunities to prove himself." Palmer was also not called up for the World Cup and withdrew from England’s previous gathering in September, citing a minor injury.
In three years since his England debut, Palmer has accumulated only 14 appearances, scoring two goals and providing one assist. One of those goals was scored in the Euro 2024 final against Spain. In the Premier League, he has scored 50 goals with 24 assists and was named the English Footballer of the Year for the 2023/24 season. Of the 27 matches Tuchel has managed since succeeding Gareth Southgate, Palmer has featured in only three.
Tuchel explained his decision. "We have enough players in the number 10 position and we are sticking with those who were at the previous gathering because we were happy with the two and a half weeks we spent together," he said. "I assume everyone wants to play for England and Cole is no exception. We are now talking about a player who is not in camp. It is important when you are there, and last time I said he is missing too many opportunities to prove himself. It is not personal. We will never assume that Cole will never come to camp. Cole is always in our thoughts, but there is competition."
Paul Robinson drew a parallel with Jude Bellingham on BBC Radio 5 Live. "You can see what Tuchel is doing if you look at what he did with Jude Bellingham," Robinson said. "Just 12 months ago, Bellingham was left out of the England team. It was a lesson from his managerial skills with Bellingham and I would not be surprised if he is doing the same now." Bellingham eventually became a key part of the England team at the World Cup, scoring seven goals, as England finished third after a semi-final defeat to Argentina.
