Cole Palmer ‘misses way too many camps’ says England coach Thomas Tuchel

LONDON (AP) — Talk about cold.

Thomas Tuchel said Cole Palmer’s withdrawal from the England squad was a lost opportunity and that the Chelsea star “misses way too many camps with injuries.”

The Three Lions coach, who left Palmer off his World Cup squad earlier this year, addressed the 24-year-old forward’s status on Friday at a press conference held on the eve of England’s home game against Spain in the Nations League.

“My understanding is that he plays with discomfort and pain, and he cannot compete on the highest level with discomfort and pain. So he withdrew, and informed us,” Tuchel said. “And Chelsea informed us. That is my understanding. We’re not managing load.”

Palmer, who has scored four goals in seven appearances for Chelsea this season, was among several players to withdraw from the England squad.

Tuchel had cited Palmer’s early season success when he recalled him.

“It’s another missed opportunity,” Tuchel said Friday. “He misses too many opportunities. And I don’t blame him for it. It’s just a 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,” the German coach continued, “you have to be in camp, and 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.”

Don’t call it a ‘break’

As England prepares for four Nations League games, Tuchel said there’s no real “break” in international breaks.

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“It’s a competitive environment, but it’s also an environment where the players love to be in when they walk through the door, where they love to train with each other, be with each other,” he said.

“That’s what togetherness and brotherhood looks like, and that’s what we created from last September, in qualification, and we will never compromise on that. We will never let this creep in that we have the feeling that players don’t want to come.

“We focus on the guys who absolutely want to play for England.”

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer