Cole Palmer: Chelsea Forward "Victim" of "Sick" System, Says PFA Chief - BBC Sport
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England Men's Scores & Fixtures
World Cup: Knockout Path
Cole Palmer is the "victim" of a "sick" system that is expecting too much of players, according to Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) chief executive Maheta Molango.
Molango's Statements:
- "When England see five players who need to withdraw when the single most proud moment a player has is to be called up for the national team, you just ask yourself, what's wrong about the industry?"
- "You see people like Cole Palmer... and you wonder why is he missing? He's missing because he's a victim of the calendar..."
- "...[the system] ultimately revolves around obtaining votes and power consolidation."
Concerns:
Molango raised concerns about the increasingly congested match calendar and its impact on player welfare. Five players – Palmer, Marcus Rashford, Declan Rice, Kobbie Mainoo, and Tino Livramento – withdrew from Thomas Tuchel's England squad ahead of the latest international window.
Criticism of Tuchel's Stance:
Molango criticized Tuchel's statement that Palmer "misses too many opportunities" due to "load management," arguing that players cannot cheat biology. He noted similar withdrawals from other European teams, including Germany's Kai Havertz and France captain Kylian Mbappe.
Proposed Solutions:
Molango called for a mandatory three-week summer break and a three-week "retraining" period every summer.
Challenges:
While Premier League's chief football officer, Rebecca Caplehorn, expressed support in theory, she noted that implementing these changes is not currently feasible due to scheduling conflicts.