PALM-ED OFF
Thomas Tuchel savages Cole Palmer as England boss reveals SIX brutal reasons for Chelsea star’s World Cup axe
THOMAS TUCHEL laughed when asked about the decision to axe some massive names for the World Cup.
Talk about being a smiling assassin.
Tuchel plunged the knife into the three biggest omissions from his 26-man squad as he was extraordinarily honest when giving his reasons to drop Cole Palmer, Phil Foden and Harry Maguire.
The German effectively called Palmer a failure this season, claims he no longer knows Foden’s best position and is clearly unhappy with Maguire for revealing that he had been axed from the squad.
Tuchel had a telephone conversation with the “50 or so” players he has called up since taking over last year plus also had a chat with Luke Shaw, who last featured for England in the Euro 2024 final.
The biggest surprise was the omission of Palmer, a player who scored in that defeat to Spain in Berlin two years ago but who has lost his magic both with Chelsea and the national team.
Tuchel said: “We chose Jude Bellingham, Morgan Rogers and Ebs (Eberechi Eze), in his position. He competes in the position where it’s maybe the most difficult to compete for.
“I think he suffered from, first of all, a lack of individual form within the club as he was not as decisive or as influential as he was in the last seasons.
“Second of all, he was not very influential with us. His record with us was just not outstanding, not good enough for him to be a case of ‘no matter what, he is coming’. That is just the reality of it.
“He pulled out several times injured, when he was in camp he did not have the impact that we all wanted to push him for, so, again, I can find a lot of arguments to have him in the squad, a lot.
TUCHEL’S SIX MAIN REASONS COLE PALMER MISSED OUT
- His position had the most competition for places
- Lack of club form
- Lack of England form
- Pulled out from England squad injured
- ‘Not influential in the group’
- Not in shape
“I respect his quality and his very unique personality, he was never a problem in camp.
“I think his personality helps him, even in big moments, to not show nerves, and to be decisive, but to have these moments you need also to be in shape, you need to be influential within this group and he has just failed to prove it, on a consistent level.
“It was one of the most difficult phone calls of course and obviously one of the most prominent names that we have left out.”
Another attacking midfielder who got the chop was Foden, who has suffered an incredible fall from grace as he swept the board in the 2024 player-of-the-season awards.
Tuchel said: “There is no question about his talent. There is no question what he can give you in special moments, but the decision was still against him.
“With Phil, it’s a little bit different because Phil was excellent in camp for us. He was not only excellent in training, but also off the pitch. He was open, he was in good spirits.
“And it hurt me a lot, actually, to call him and to tell him this decision. I could see in his reaction how much it affects him, how much it would have meant for him to come.
“But I think, like with Cole and especially with Phil, he lost momentum in a crucial moment of the season and basically the last half of the season, we could see glimpses here and there but not a lot of evidence.
Anyone who thinks this squad can win World Cup needs their head tested
THOMAS TUCHEL has properly put his b******s on the line with this England squad, writes Charlie Wyett.
And the German is going to end up being hailed as a genius for the group of players he has selected – or a disaster.
Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, Harry Maguire, Morgan Gibbs-White, Adam Wharton and Levi Colwill are just some of the players missing.
And the big shock inclusion is Ivan Toney whose only appearance for Tuchel was as an 88th minute sub against Senegal after he failed to impress in training at last summer’s post-season camp in Girona.
Individually, you can see why some of the players have missed out as the likes of Foden, in particular, do not deserve to be included.
But Maguire has been in good form for Manchester United and once he got a recall in March, he obviously thought he was back in. England certainly need players of his experience which is why it is the right call to stick with Jordan Henderson.
Tuchel needs to be applauded for his bravery but this squad does not look particularly settled and I would still have also included Luke Shaw. Also, Dan Burn is incredibly lucky to be in this squad and the same goes for Tino Livramento.
The defence looks bang-average and anyone who thinks this squad can win the World Cup needs to get their head tested.
Harry Kane yesterday claimed the squad has never been stronger but he is surely having a laugh. And the fact England will still go into the tournament as one of the bookies’ favourites is a joke.
“I was not even sure in the end what position his best position is. Is it a 10? Is it a false nine? Is it maybe more a Bernardo Silva role in the future as a number eight?
“It is maybe not on the wing anymore, so it does not also make sense for me to just bring players and then play them out of position to have them in camp.
“It will just also make them uncomfortable, make them unhappy, so the decisions have to be made before, and the two names were very difficult ones.”
In many respects, Foden and Palmer cannot complain because they have not been very good.
So the most controversial decision was not to include Maguire, who has been in good form for a rejuvenated Manchester United while Dan Burn still found his way into the squad.
Maguire wrote on social media that he was “shocked and gutted” at the decision.
Asked about Maguire’s decision to go public, Tuchel said: “I was surprised and I think it was not necessary. I felt his disappointment. I felt that he was upset.
“He expressed it, which is fair enough. I can see all the arguments to have in camp. I respect him a lot as a player.
“I respect him even more for his quality that he showed in March.
“As a football player, I can see all the arguments to have him in camp, but it’s just a decision, not a personal decision, just a decision for someone else.
“It was not necessary. Let’s put it like this.”
Tuchel added that moving forward, after the World Cup, he will remember the reactions of the dropped players in terms of being involved in future squads.
So it is fair to say we will not be seeing Maguire again.
