Roy Keane believes England fans should ‘forget’ about the idea of Cole Palmer elevating the national team to another level.
The Manchester United legend has accused Palmer of ‘bad habits’ after he withdrew from England duty with fitness issues for a second time since Thomas Tuchel was named as head coach.
England did not lack a spark but did lack control against Spain at Wembley on Saturday night as they allowed the visitors to win 3-2 from a goal down.
And Keane told ITV Sport before the game: ‘Well, I think, whatever his injuries, and if he is injured… I watched his last game against Brentford and if you think he’s going to get England to another level and win trophies, forget about it.
‘I like Palmer, he’s a talented boy, but he’s got far too many bad habits, for me.’
Palmer has enjoyed a fairly successful start to the season, registering two goals and as many assists in the first five Premier League games.
Roy Keane tore into Cole Palmer before England’s Nations League defeat by Spain at Wembley
He does not believe Palmer – who withdrew from England duty for a fourth time – would elevate the national team
Tuchel named him in his squad for this international break but the Chelsea star withdrew alongside Declan Rice, Marcus Rashford, Kobbie Mainoo, and Tino Livramento.
The 24-year-old, who had the summer off to recover after being excluded from the World Cup squad and played every minute of Chelsea’s recent 3-0 drubbing by Brentford, also withdrew from Lee Carsley’s final interim squad in November 2024 after Tuchel had been named as Gareth Southgate’s successor.
It is the fourth time he has withdrawn from England duty in total and Tuchel has questioned his commitment.
Tuchel said ahead of Saturday’s Nations League game against world champions Spain at Wembley ‘everybody is desperate to come’ and represent England.
But when it was suggested that Palmer’s decision to withdraw from the squad despite playing 90 minutes for Chelsea last Friday appeared to suggest otherwise, Tuchel said: ‘It’s hard to argue against what you are saying.’
Asked where it leaves Palmer and what advice he would give him were he his friend, Tuchel added: ‘It leaves us with Jude Bellingham, Morgan Rogers, Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze in that position.
‘All in camp. All desperate to be here. All available. And all ready to go, ready to stop a holiday [like Gibbs-White] after one day in Dubai.
‘I am not his friend. I am his national team coach and I can only judge him on what he is delivering for the national team and he is just missing too many opportunities.’
Thomas Tuchel has questioned Palmer’s commitmetnt to the Three Lions cause
England failed to control the game as they lost 3-2 to Spain at Wembley on Saturday night
Tuchel also stressed that the door is not closed on any player, saying he was ‘not worried’ about the issue.
Equally, he pulled no punches when it comes to the Chelsea player’s future opportunities.
‘My understanding is that Cole plays with discomfort and pain and he cannot compete on the highest level with discomfort and pain, so he withdrew and informed us and Chelsea informed us,’ Tuchel explained.
‘He misses too many opportunities, and I don’t blame him for it. It’s just the 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 you have to be in camp.
‘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.
‘What sticks with me is the week that I have with the others.
‘They [the absentees] lose that. That sticks. It sticks because we create something.
‘We actually work off the field, on the field, about our principles, on how to be in.
‘This brotherhood is so important and you miss out if you’re not there.’
Whether Palmer would have been of much help to England against Spain is a matter to be debated.
Marc Guehi gifted the ball to Lamine Yamal inside two minutes to give Spain the lead, but England went into half-time 2-1 up thanks to goals from Anthony Gordon and Harry Kane.
Kane actually had a chance to extend the Three Lions’ lead from the penalty spot, but he slipped and hit the bar.
The World Cup champions proved their quality and their mettle in the second half as Alex Baena and Mikel Oyarzabal scored to give them a strong start to the Nations League campaign.
