Cole Palmer has caused controversy after pulling out of England's latest squad
Cole Palmer has caused controversy after pulling out of England's latest squad (Image: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
View Image
Alan Shearer has criticised Cole Palmer for pulling out of the England squad - after Thomas Tuchel admitted it is “hard to argue” with questions over the Chelsea star's commitment to the Three Lions set-up.
Palmer has only won three caps since the German took charge at the start of last year and, despite featuring in both March friendlies, was overlooked for a World Cup place.
The 24-year-old was recalled for England’s autumn Nations League fixtures, only to pull out of the squad, with load management used as an explanation for his absence.
But Shearer, speaking to Betfair, has questioned Palmer's decision. He said: "I think at every opportunity you have to go and play for England. You can't just turn up for World Cups or Euros or whatever.
FOLLOW OUR CHELSEA FB PAGE! Latest Blues news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook page
"We don't know, and we're speculating, but it's a lot of players to pull out, isn't it? Rice, I guess, his withdrawal is because of the amount of football he's played. It does look as if he's nursing something. The others, I don't know their situation, but that's a lot of players to be pulling out.
"However, what it does do is give others the opportunity to stake their claim. Someone like Morgan Gibbs-White has the chance now because Tuchel’s words were, well, there's too many 10s. Well, one's pulled out.
"Now he's got his opportunity. You can imagine if he goes in there and does well, scores, puts in a really good performance, then the manager would have to pick him for the next squad because of that and that's the opportunity he's now got.
"The one I don’t understand is Cole Palmer’s withdrawal from the squad. I get that you have to manage your body, but he's not played a lot of football and he's not going to play a lot of football with Chelsea not being in Europe this season.
"So, without knowing all of the reasoning, that one is the standout one for me, especially when he wasn't at the World Cup."
Shearer's comments come after Tuchel claimed Palmer “misses too many opportunities” and “way too many camps”.
“For sure it’s a missed opportunity,” Tuchel said. “It’s another missed opportunity. He misses too many opportunities, and I don’t blame him for it. It’s just the fact.
“He misses way too many camps with injuries and I only want to rely on what I personally witness and what I see within my team, and for that you have to be in camp.
“If you’re not in camp, there’s a next level to impress that you cannot achieve because you only can do it when you’re actually with me on the pitch and with us on the pitch so, yeah, it is a missed opportunity.”
Declan Rice, Marcus Rashford, Kobbie Mainoo and Tino Livramento also withdrew from the squad this week, but the frustration over Palmer was palpable.
Put to Tuchel that it does not sound like the Chelsea player is desperate to come, he puffed his cheeks and said: “Hard to argue against (what you are saying).
“It leaves us with Jude Bellingham, Morgan Rogers, Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze. 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 (in Gibbs-White’s case) and fly back.”