Palmer: Missing the world cup fuels my drive; Alonso wants me to play as a number 10

Chelsea will play a friendly match against Tottenham. Before the match, Palmer attended the team's press conference, and in the latter part of the conference, he talked about his expectations for the new season.

You had injury problems last season, you could have had a smoother summer. Did you watch the entire World Cup?

I watched parts of it intermittently. I was on vacation in the United States at the time, and the time difference was too extreme, making it very difficult to watch. I forced myself to watch Mexico's matches, but by the time England played, it was too late for us, and I kept falling asleep.

Many fans have had similar experiences. Will missing this World Cup instead inject stronger fighting spirit into you for the new season, turning this regret into motivation to move forward?

Naturally, it will. It's like the outside world has judged that you temporarily don't meet the standards for selection to the national team. You'll definitely have a drive inside, telling yourself to redouble your efforts to prove yourself.

The trigger for missing out on the England squad was the first major injury of your career last season. Everyone outside had extremely high expectations for you, but you were sidelined for a long time due to injury. How did you adjust your mindset and overcome that difficult period?

Honestly, at first, I didn't know how to face it at all. In the first few months before the injury, all I wanted was to play, and even if I forced myself to return, I couldn't play to my ideal standard. That period was a very difficult season for me personally. Fortunately, the 7-week long break fully repaired my body, and now I'm fully recovered and ready for the new season.

Did you consider surgery at the time?

I did. I flew abroad for a consultation, I can't remember if it was Sweden or Denmark, and discussed surgical options with the doctor, but ultimately chose conservative treatment instead of surgery.

In your last friendly match, both teams scored a total of 10 goals, making it a very entertaining game. Of course, in an official match in the new season, you certainly can't concede 4 goals in a single game, even if this was just a preseason friendly in Australia. Will there still be a special derby emotion against Tottenham?

The derby sentiment is always there, but ultimately this is just a warm-up match for preseason preparation. Our core goal is still to get into form through games and lay the groundwork for the official matches of the new season.

A quick, lighter question: Western Sydney Wanderers player Jarred exchanged jerseys with you after the match the other night. What do you think of this trip to Australia? The opponents are all professional players, they give their all on the field, and at the same time, local fans and fellow players are full of love and admiration for you. As a player, what does it feel like to receive recognition from fellow professionals on the other side of the world?

He offered to swap jerseys during stoppage time, and I agreed on the spot. After the match, I saw on social media that he was actually a die-hard Chelsea fan. I was especially happy to give my jersey to a die-hard fan.

A few days ago during training, we saw young Sydney player Nico Yezzouri. This is his first time traveling to Australia with the team. He came through the Chelsea academy system. What is your private relationship with him like? How do you rate the talent ceiling of this 16-year-old?

He has a very interesting personality and is full of confidence. Although he is only 16, he possesses all the potential to establish himself in the Chelsea first team, and may even have the opportunity to play next season. How far he ultimately goes depends on whether he is willing to train hard and stay focused. But there's no doubt that he has the talent to achieve any goal.

Did Alonso call you privately to communicate during your 7-week vacation?

He probably knew immediately after learning that I was not selected for the England squad, and he proactively sent me a message of comfort.

What exactly did he say?

I can't quite recall the exact words, but it was basically conventional encouraging words like telling me not to dwell on it too much and to relax.

Did you feel very heartwarming when the new head coach offered comfort and support immediately?

It was indeed quite heartwarming.

I'd like to ask about the content of your first in-depth conversation with Alonso. What is the coach's positioning of you in the team, and what position does he plan for you to play?

He clearly told me that he wants me to play as a number 10, operating in the half-spaces behind the striker. The specifics will depend on how we gel in actual matches.

Returning to the competition for the England team, how high of a priority is it for you to re-establish yourself as a regular starter?

To be honest, I haven't thought much about that at this stage. My heart is only set on starting the new season with Chelsea, and I'm not overly concerned about playing order for now.

The team has made a series of significant signings this summer. Does seeing the new arrivals make you regain confidence in the team's prospects for the new season? After all, the team's overall performance was quite a struggle last season.

Absolutely, bringing in strong players will inevitably enhance the team's overall strength. I hope we can have a successful season.

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