If England are to finally end what will be 60 years of hurt next summer and win their second World Cup title, they will likely need an X-factor in North America.
Players who can up their game and make a difference on the biggest stage are few and far between, but in Cole Palmer, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel may just have one of those in his ranks.
Teddy Sheringham on what Cole Palmer can bring to England
“I love watching Palmer play,” former Spurs and Manchester United frontman Sheringham tells FourFourTwo. “He’s a smooth footballer that plays at his own pace and always has time on the ball. Saying that, is he a guaranteed starter? It’s not just about having the best players out there, it’s about a team that works together.
“We have a lot of others in those attacking midfield positions – Jude Bellingham, Ebere Eze, Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka. Harry Kane is the main striker, so it may come down to who supports him best.”
Injuries have meant that Palmer has played just once under Tuchel for England so far and Sheringham believes the Chelsea man can be a key player for the German when he returns to fitness.
“I don’t think we’ve really solved our attacking problems yet, at the last Euros or since Tuchel came in, and Palmer could well be the player to do that,” Sheringham adds. “I think he deserves a run in the side so that we can find out. Palmer does it in the big games. You have to factor that in when you’re a manager approaching a World Cup – it doesn’t get any bigger than that.
“What’s more, he can be relied upon to score a penalty. Once you get to the tighter games in the knockout rounds, you’re going to be looking at potential shootouts – we’ve been through so many over the past 30 years. Having lads who are confident is invaluable."
At the very least, Palmer’s carefree personality could prove a boon in the pressure cooker of a World Cup camp, much like another former England star.
“He’s a bit like Paul Gascoigne in that regard,” Sheringham continues. “Gazza had a way of just enjoying himself around the place, which is important when you’re away in that environment for up to six weeks.
“That relaxes others. Gazza was always mucking around and being the life and soul of the place but, when the football came around, he switched. He used to say, ‘Give the ball to me, lads’, no matter who he was up against.
“You can imagine Palmer saying that to his team-mates – ‘I don’t care who we’re facing, just give me the ball’. That’s the type of person and the type of player you want around the camp.”
Teddy Sheringham was speaking in association with Coin Poker
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