Tomlin reveals the reasons behind his loan move

Lee Tomlin reveals the reasons behind his loan move from Cardiff City to Nottingham Forest


Thursday 15th February 2018


Tomlin has discussed what motivated him to move to the City Ground after a difficult spell in the Welsh capital

Lee Tomlin has revealed Aitor Karanka was one of the main reasons behind his loan switch from Cardiff City to Nottingham Forest.

The No.10 secured a surprise switch to the City Ground on transfer deadline day, with Northern Ireland international Jamie Ward moving in the opposite direction.

Tomlin has featured as a substitute in both of Forest's last two Championship outings against Fulham and Hull, with both matches ending in 2-0 defeats for his new side.

And Tomlin - who played under Forest manager Karanka at Middlesbrough during the 2014-15 campaign - admits his relationship with the Spaniard played a huge role in his decision to move to the City Ground.

"Middlesbrough was the highlight of my career," he told the Nottingham Post.

"Then I moved from Boro to the Premier League, with Bournemouth. And even then the gaffer was saying that was where I should be.

“He told me I should be playing there, because I was good enough.

“But it did not work there and I went on loan to Bristol and that was unbelievable. But then I signed permanently and that did not really work out. Then I went to Cardiff and the lads there are playing unbelievably well.

“For me, I want to get back to playing to the level I was previously, under the gaffer. That is why I came here – because of him.

“I know it is only a loan until the end of the season, but I am excited to get started, to play games and hopefully get some wins with Nottingham Forest.”

Tomlin joined the Bluebirds from Severnside rivals Bristol City last summer but struggled to play regular first team football under Neil Warnock.

He featured 16 times in all competitions for the Bluebirds, but failed to complete the full 90 minutes in any of his 13 Championship outings for Cardiff in the opening half of the campaign.

It ultimately saw him move away from the Welsh capital for the remainder of the season, and - while he admits there were multiple offers from other clubs on the table in January - the mercurial talent admits the fact his family hail from nearby in Leicester also played a part in his choice to join Forest.

“There were a few offers from other teams, who were just talking about giving me the chance to go and get match fitness,” he added.

“I know that it is no good just going to play games – and I know the gaffer here would not just accept that mentality.

“You have to work so hard under him, to win games.

"It feels like I have been here for months already. It has been perfect, everyone knows what we have to do and that is win games.

"It is good or me to come closer to home, to play games but also to team up with Aitor again. My family are from Leicester; they aren't too happy with me signing here but that is football! It feels good to get back home, I am excited to get going and hopefully we can win some games for Nottingham Forest.

“It is going to be tough. Every game in this league is tough. It is not like the Premier League where there is a gulf between top and bottom. It is a battle in every single game in the Championship.

“You have to be on it in every single game.”

It would help if players could be more honest sometimes.
It's quite a basic requirement for a professional athlete to be fit and his skill has masked his lack of puff.
Again it should be a basic requirement for professional players to live relatively close to their club - 1 hour, 50 miles whatever.
Warnock gave him a big chance to sort himself out and showed faith in him with his court case hanging around and he has not delivered other than a few cameos. Hope he can sort himself out for his own sake and when he does come back and do the business for us... sadly cant see that happening

It would help if players could be more honest sometimes.
It's quite a basic requirement for a professional athlete to be fit and his skill has masked his lack of puff.
Again it should be a basic requirement for professional players to live relatively close to their club - 1 hour, 50 miles whatever.
Warnock gave him a big chance to sort himself out and showed faith in him with his court case hanging around and he has not delivered other than a few cameos. Hope he can sort himself out for his own sake and when he does come back and do the business for us... sadly cant see that happening

Can't see him returning to be honest, unless he doesn't perform up there.

LEE TOMLIN:

“It is good or me to come closer to home, to play games but also to team up with Aitor again."

"My family are from Leicester; they aren’t too happy with me signing here but that is football!"


It feels good to get back home, I am excited to get going and hopefully we can win some games for Nottingham Forest.”

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Could be a good player Tomlin...however, the fact that a professional footballer couldn't keep himself fit, a basic requirement for all professional athletes says a lot about his character, mental strength and commitment.

Hopefully, he can sort himself out but the omens are not good

Bigger Greggs in Nottingham , though I am a big fan of Tomlin , sadly it did not seem to happen for him.

See even a manager like Neil Warnock, Who is one of my all time favourite managers can bring in a costly player and turn out to be a total waste of time.

Transfer fee in the £millions and £25,000 a week wages and arrived with a court case ahead of him and totally unfit.

Cas Neil thought he was fat but it's just his ribs like ini

The reason for his move is because he couldn’t get fit enough so Warnock shipped him out !!

See even a manager like Neil Warnock, Who is one of my all time favourite managers can bring in a costly player and turn out to be a total waste of time.

Transfer fee in the £millions and £25,000 a week wages and arrived with a court case ahead of him and totally unfit.

Quite surprised you actually give Warnock blame on this one Annis.

See even a manager like Neil Warnock, Who is one of my all time favourite managers can bring in a costly player and turn out to be a total waste of time.

Transfer fee in the £millions and £25,000 a week wages and arrived with a court case ahead of him and totally unfit.

Quite surprised you actually give Warnock blame on this one Annis.

Dando,

I believe in honesty and you should say how you really see it

I praise Warnock every week and rightly so
But Lee Tomlin is Warnocks signing and he has stressed that many times.

Tomlin cost us a few £million, plus very high wages.
We took on a naughty boy,over weight and with a court case ahead of him, plus let Tomlin still live in Leicester

Tomlin is not like most of Warnocks transfers,free agents and loans, so yes Tomlin was an awful signing, but Warnocks not the first manager to make costly mistakes.

Tomlin wake up. You have been given a gift of skill to play football and you are not taking the opportunity. You only have to be dedicated for a few years, then you earn enough money to last you the rest of your life. Most people have to work until 65 or later. Pull your finger out and make a career for yourself. Then you can drink and eat as much as you like.

See even a manager like Neil Warnock, Who is one of my all time favourite managers can bring in a costly player and turn out to be a total waste of time.

Transfer fee in the £millions and £25,000 a week wages and arrived with a court case ahead of him and totally unfit.

Quite surprised you actually give Warnock blame on this one Annis.

Dando,

I believe in honesty and you should say how you really see it

I praise Warnock every week and rightly so
But Lee Tomlin is Warnocks signing and he has stressed that many times.

Tomlin cost us a few £million, plus very high wages.
We took on a naughty boy,over weight and with a court case ahead of him, plus let Tomlin still live in Leicester

Tomlin is not like most of Warnocks transfers,free agents and loans, so yes Tomlin was an awful signing, but Warnocks not the first manager to make costly mistakes.

For me Annis the one thing that sticks out more than this whole fitness malarky is the fact he still lives in Leicester there's taking a risk then there is this, he should have never have went for him knowing he wouldn't move within an hour distance.. for me this is poor from a professional footballer, you have young players abroad commit and move right into the city of their team and get use to the culture yet an English footballer who's played his whole career here in the UK can't even commit to living within a hour distance and this for me builds around his whole game on the field. All he needed to do was get a flat/apartment nothing major but that is still too much for him.

See even a manager like Neil Warnock, Who is one of my all time favourite managers can bring in a costly player and turn out to be a total waste of time.

Transfer fee in the £millions and £25,000 a week wages and arrived with a court case ahead of him and totally unfit.

Quite surprised you actually give Warnock blame on this one Annis.

Dando,

I believe in honesty and you should say how you really see it

I praise Warnock every week and rightly so
But Lee Tomlin is Warnocks signing and he has stressed that many times.

Tomlin cost us a few £million, plus very high wages.
We took on a naughty boy,over weight and with a court case ahead of him, plus let Tomlin still live in Leicester

Tomlin is not like most of Warnocks transfers,free agents and loans, so yes Tomlin was an awful signing, but Warnocks not the first manager to make costly mistakes.

For me Annis the one thing that sticks out more than this whole fitness malarky is the fact he still lives in Leicester there's taking a risk then there is this, he should have never have went for him knowing he wouldn't move within an hour distance.. for me this is poor from a professional footballer, you have young players abroad commit and move right into the city of their team and get use to the culture yet an English footballer who's played his whole career here in the UK can't even commit to living within a hour distance and this for me builds around his whole game on the field. All he needed to do was get a flat/apartment nothing major but that is still too much for him.

Dando,

I 100% agree with you

A waste of a great talent , he only needs to look in the mirror to see who is to blame....