Cole Palmer reveals emotional reaction to Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea exit
Cole Palmer has thanked former Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino for helping take his career to the next level last season.
Palmer left his role as a Manchester City youngster last summer and quickly established himself as the talisman of Pochettino’s Chelsea, ending his debut year at Stamford Bridge with 22 goals and 11 assists in 34 Premier League games.
Such form earned Palmer a spot in this summer’s England squad for Euro 2024 and the 22-year-old was keen to recognise Pochettino’s impact on his career.
„He just gave me the opportunity and the freedom and said ‚do what you do‘,“ Palmer told The Telegraph.
„I was [sorry], because he put his trust in me and we built a good relationship. Not just with him but with all his staff who were there. When he left I was gutted.
„He is probably the main reason [I am in the England squad] because a different manager might not have given me that freedom and opportunity to do what I did at Chelsea.“
In Pochettino’s place comes Enzo Maresca, who worked with Palmer during his time in the Manchester City academy.
„Enzo was the one who put me at right-wing,“ Palmer explained. „So from the [under]-18s I was playing [number] 10 and when I went to the 23s Enzo played me on the right. That was my first full season on the right.
„He’s a good coach, a really good coach. I think tactically he knows what he is doing. He will improve a lot of the players.“
Palmer is keen to earn his first Euro 2024 start on Sunday in the last-16 clash with Slovakia. He impressed off the bench last time out against Slovenia, with many fans calling on manager Gareth Southgate to bring him into the starting lineup.