I went to watch England at World Cup when I was 12… then they got knocked out before I got there, says Cole Palmer
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.
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.
England player ratings: Southgate's Gallagher experiment fails miserably vs Slovenia
ENGLAND served up another underwhelming performance – but still managed to top Group C.
England dominated the ball, but Southgate will have plenty of questions to answer after a third straight display that lacked inspiration.
SunSport’s Tom Barclay has given his ratings of the England players.
Jordan Pickford – 6
Largely a spectator due to England’s dominance on the ball. Asked the touchline what the Denmark score was during one break in the second half.
Kieran Trippier – 6
The one positive of having a right-footed player playing left-back is that he can dispatch in-swinging crosses, and one such one should have been headed home by Conor Gallagher before the break.
Marc Guehi – 7
Cruyff turn early doors showed his confidence from excellent displays against Serbia and Denmark, and barring one loose pass was good again.
John Stones – 6
One of many to miss his target with his passing. He wasn’t bad but, like others, way off what he has produced for his club.
Kyle Walker – 5
Played so safe, rarely looked to get forward. Was lucky at one point that Pickford was alive to his blast of a pass-back. Sliced cross after break summed up his off-night.
Conor Gallagher – 4
Got the nod after the Trent Alexander-Arnold midfield experiment ended, but was poor, particularly, in possession and replaced at half-time by Kobbie Mainoo.
Declan Rice – 7
Had promised an “in your face” performance from his team, but he was really the only one to produce it. Very good out of possession, much better than against Denmark.
Phil Foden – 7
Liveliest of England’s attacking four by a mile and went close with a stinging free-kick. Booked for dissent, summing up England’s frustration.
Jude Bellingham – 5
Cut a very frustrated figure as he and Harry Kane got in each other’s way at times, while he was often shunted wide left as Phil Foden moved into the middle.
Bukayo Saka – 6
Tapped home on 20 minutes, but it was ruled out for offside in the build-up. OK but once again subbed after the break, perhaps due to fitness concerns.
Harry Kane – 6
Insists he is 100 per cent fit and maybe he is. What is 100 per cent certain is that he has been nowhere near as effective in this tournament as he usually is for England, albeit he was marginally better here.
Substitutes
Kobbie Mainoo (for Gallagher at half-time) – 7
Made a difference when coming on, making England much more positive in their play. So much more confident with his touch than Gallagher.
Cole Palmer (for Bukayo Saka on 71) – 7
Finally made an appearance at this tournament and one clever ball through for Mainoo showed what he can do.
Trent Alexander-Arnold (for Kieran Trippier on 84) – 6
Came on for the final few minutes at right-back, with Walker going to left-back.
Anthony Gordon (for Phil Foden on 88) – 6
Like Palmer, first minutes at the Euros, but too late to make an impact.
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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.