Morgan Rogers defends Cole Palmer from ‘lies’ over his England commitment after Thomas Tuchel remarks

Morgan Rogers defends Cole Palmer from ‘lies’ over his England commitment after Thomas Tuchel remarks Morgan Rogers has dismissed suggestions that Cole Palmer is not committed to England. Rogers believes his Chelsea teammate is desperate to represent his country despite his recent injury problems. The former Aston Villa attacking midfielder defended Palmer after England manager Thomas Tuchel appeared to question how many opportunities he had missed to impress. Palmer was overlooked for England’s Nations League fixtures against Croatia and Spain this month, despite returning to fitness. Tuchel explained that the coaching staff were happy to retain the players from their previous camp. Speaking after England’s 2-1 victory over Croatia at Wembley on Thursday, Rogers rejected claims that his former Manchester City academy colleague lacked the desire to play for the Three Lions. “It’s a lie. 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 told BBC Radio 5 Live . The 24-year-old, who has known Palmer since they were teenagers, explained that the Chelsea star had endured a difficult period with injuries and needed to manage his fitness carefully. Rogers added that Palmer had been in a low place during his injury struggles last season and was keen to return to his best level without compromising his long-term career. “He wants to play for 10-15 years, he also has to manage himself. If he has to manage himself in the short term for the greater good, then he has to do that, and you have to fully support it,” he said. Rogers insisted Palmer’s absences had nothing to do with a lack of enthusiasm for England, adding that he hoped to see his teammate back in an England shirt soon. Tuchel subsequently played down Rogers’ comments, describing them as an understandable show of support for a friend and teammate. The German tactician instead praised Rogers for his performance against Croatia, highlighting his contribution at both ends of the pitch. Rogers opened the scoring before Peter Sucic equalised, with Harry Kane converting a 64th-minute penalty to secure victory on his record-breaking 126th England appearance . Palmer has managed just 14 England caps since making his debut, scoring twice and providing one assist, despite registering 50 Premier League goals and 25 assists in 125 appearances. Tuchel maintains Palmer remains in England’s plans but stressed that competition for places means players must seize opportunities when they come.