Tuchel should build his England team around Cole Palmer
England legend Chris Waddle believes new national team boss Thomas Tuchel would be making a mistake not to build his team around Chelsea star Cole Palmer.
The German coach was appointed as Gareth Southgate's successor in October of last year but officially began his new role at the start of January. The former Bayern Munich and Chelsea boss has been spotted in the stands at various Premier League matches as he prepares to name his first squad for the first international break in March.
Tuchel inherits an England squad blessed with a host of established stars and exciting young players. The 51-year-old will be keen to make his mark on the team as they build towards the 2026 World Cup, and Chris Waddle has urged the German coach to consider building his team around Chelsea's Cole Palmer.
After bursting onto the scene at Stamford Bridge last season, Palmer was part of England's squad for EURO 2024 but largely had to settle for a place on the bench throughout the tournament in Germany. When called upon, Cole Palmer often made a difference.
Fast forward to the 2024/25 season, Palmer has registered 13 goals and 6 assists in 20 appearances. He has now established himself as one of England's brightest talents. While Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden often jostled for the No. 10 role under Southgate, Waddle believes Palmer has now emerged as the first-choice option for that role as the former Man City man possesses something special.
Waddle's view is: “Cole Palmer catches the eye. That’s what we all see. He’s a wonderful creative player. People forget that creativity is one of the hardest things in football. I think Cole Palmer has been outstanding for Chelsea. Cole Palmer has really got a lot of ability and scores goals.
Yes, we’ve got Jude Bellingham, but if Tuchel doesn’t build a team around Cole Palmer then that’s surprising and ridiculous. Bellingham’s a very good player, but you’ve got to give Cole Palmer the licence to play for England like he has at Chelsea. You’ve got to build the team around this lad.
With Palmer, the way he sees a pass, he plays more passes than any other player we’ve got. It would be foolish for people to dismiss Cole Palmer.”
