IF you need a decent dose of perspective about England’s progress at the Euros, listen to Cole Palmer.
When Chelsea’s main man was just 12 years old, he flew out to Brazil to see his grandad, hoping to watch the Three Lions at the 2014 World Cup.
GettyCole Palmer looks on during a training session[/caption]
ReutersEngland went out in the group stages of the 2014 World Cup[/caption]
There was a flaw in that plan, though.
Palmer arrived in Rio de Janeiro a week into the tournament — and Roy Hodgson’s England had already been knocked out.
He said: “I went to Brazil for the World Cup. My grandad Gary lives in Brazil.
“I didn’t see any England games — by the time I got there they’d already been knocked out.
“It was great, though. I went to watch Belgium versus Russia at the Maracana.
“My grandad lived in Rio. He got an apartment out there. He just moved over there. He didn’t like the weather in Manchester, so he moved to Brazil. Now he speaks fluent Portuguese.”
A decade later, at least England have topped their Euros group.
And, after a highly promising performance as a sub in the goalless draw with Slovenia, there is a clamour for Palmer to start in tomorrow’s last-16 clash with Slovakia.
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
Palmer, 22, was one of the great stories of the season — a youngster with the balls to leave Manchester City because Pep Guardiola could not guarantee him enough game-time.
He then lit up Stamford Bridge, scoring 25 goals for his new club and carrying Chelsea to such an extent that Mauricio Pochettino demanded that the rest of his squad must prove “they weren’t Cole Palmer FC”.
Without meaning to be, Palmer is a brilliant interviewee.
He acts as if he does not understand why all these middle-aged blokes are huddled around him asking questions. But he speaks like he plays — off the cuff and to the point.
He is also disarmingly honest. Take his reaction to Pochettino’s departure — “we built a great relationship . . . I was gutted when he left”.
Or, when asked if he felt he was ready to start for England at this tournament: “Personally I think so but it’s not up to me. It’s nice to see people on social media saying I should start but it’s not up to them is it?”
And on his move to the south: “The people are moody in London, aren’t they? I like London but it’s a lot different.”
He was also asked about a claim, from Chelsea keeper Djordje Petrovic, that he likes baked beans so much, he is nicknamed Beans.
Palmer replied: “No, no one calls me Beans,” who then adds that his fellow Mancunian Kobbie Mainoo, 19, “has beetroot for everything, he has beetroot for breakfast, dinner and tea”.
Asked whether he started out as a striker, Palmer then sparks laughter in the room by admitting he first played at left-back, England’s problem position at this tournament.
“I didn’t say I’d play there now,” he quickly interjects, “That was just for the Under-10s — I haven’t played left-back since.”
Despite his long association with City, Palmer grew up a Manchester United fan, who idolised Wayne Rooney.
Palmer says: “If my mum said ‘do this, Rooney does it’, I would do it.”
It is refreshing to hear a player who speaks so naturally.
Talking to Palmer makes you inclined to believe that he should start for England.
After two stultifying draws against Denmark and Slovenia, Gareth Southgate needs a player who isn’t fazed by anything.
A player who tore it up in his first season as a regular Premier League starter.
There is only one question Palmer refuses to answer — whether Guardiola tried to persuade him to stay at City. He shrugs his shoulders, smirks, pauses and says: “Next question.”
But Palmer could not be more glowing about Pochettino, saying: “He’s probably the main reason I’m here because a different manager might not have given me that freedom and opportunity to do what I did at Chelsea.”
Yet Poch’s successor Enzo Maresca is also a familiar face to Palmer — having coached him for City’s Under-21s and also an assistant to Guardiola with the first team.
Maresca, in fact, was the first coach to play Palmer in his wide-right position.
Even if he does not start, there is every chance he will feature in the likelihood of a knockout round penalty shootout and the fact that he has scored all nine of his Chelsea spot-kicks, as well as one for England.
Palmer and fellow penalty expert Ivan Toney have been discussing the prospect of coming on cold in the final minute of extra-time in order to take a shootout penalty.
He admitted: “I was speaking about this the other day with Ivan. Yeah, I’d come on and take one.”
You’d be highly surprised if he missed it.
EURO 2024 LIVE: KEEP UP TO DATE WITH ALL THE LATEST NEWS FROM GERMANY
Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]
