‘It would be daft’ – Thomas Tuchel told to build England team around ‘outstanding’ Chelsea star
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Thomas Tuchel has been told it would be daft not to make Chelsea star Cole Palmer the focal point of his new-look England team. The German was appointed as Gareth Southgate’s full-time successor in October last year but officially began his new job at the start of January.
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And the former Bayern Munich and Chelsea boss has already been pictured in the stands at various Premier League matches as he considers the makeup of his first squad for the March international break. Tuchel has solid foundations to build on given Southgate’s achievements in the last two Euros and Lee Carsley’s interim spell which saw several debutants blooded into the senior set-up.
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The 51-year-old will no doubt be keen to put his own spin on the Three Lions side as they gear up for next year’s World Cup but Chris Waddle has urged the German to consider Chelsea forward Palmer at the forefront of his plans. Having burst through at Stamford Bridge last season, Palmer catapulted himself into England’s plans for Euro 2024 but was largely reduced to minutes off the bench throughout the tournament in Germany.
But after another superb start to the season, which has seen him notch up 13 goals and six assists in 20 appearances, Palmer has now established himself as one of England’s most prodigious current talents. And while Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden often wrestled for minutes in the number ten role under Southgate, Waddle believes that Palmer has now made himself first-choice for that role.
