Morgan Rogers defends Cole Palmer's England hunger after Croatia win
England beat Croatia 2-1 in the UEFA Nations League on Thursday, but the post-match talk centered on Cole Palmer's commitment. His England teammate Morgan Rogers didn't hold back on BBC Radio 5 Live.
"He wanted to get called up, and he wanted to come and represent his country as he always has done," Rogers said. "People just see it as news and say the easy thing. We all know he had a difficult year with injuries."
For Nigerian fans following the Premier League, Palmer's situation resonates: the 22-year-old Chelsea attacker missed large stretches last season with hamstring and shoulder problems yet still ended as the club's top scorer. He's started this term sharply.
Rogers, speaking as someone inside the camp, argues the criticism ignores that context. Palmer pushed for the call-up; he didn't avoid it.
The noise around player commitment during injury recoveries is familiar territory. Does insider testimony like Rogers' shift your view, or is scrutiny just part of the modern game?