Cole Palmer has spoken out for the first time about Manchester City almost releasing him as a teenager, and he believes he does not want to leave the club permanently in 2023.
Senior City academy personnel planned not to award the forward a scholarship, favoring his departure, only for director Jason Wilcox to overturn the decision.
Mail Sport broke the story in 2021, revealing that Palmer’s cash package and contract length were substantially less appealing than those of his rivals, and the England international conceded that his height limited him.
The coach saw things differently. Palmer mentioned this in England’s Lions: A New Generation, which is available on Prime Video. ‘Up until that moment, most coaches would prefer me. They’d play me regardless of how small I was.
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Palmer’s father, Jermaine, stated Palmer struggled with the toughness of academy football until experiencing a growth spurt that changed his destiny. According To Daily Mail.
‘Cole was tiny for two years, from under 15 to 16 years old,’ Jermaine added. ‘He got a new coach who emphasized pace and power. They did not get along very well, and he struggled.
‘The kids were bigger and older. They kept smashing him. They measure a bone in your hand to determine how large you will be. They said he’d be five feet nine.
‘And then he almost got fired by City. Quite brutal. I just assumed he wouldn’t be five foot nine and would be one of the family’s tiniest members. We’re all about my size, and I assumed if he was anything like me, he’d expand when he got to 16. And then we’ll know what size he’ll be.
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