Watch: Lee Tomlin on nutmegging someone on his first day in training at Forest
New Nottingham Forest signing Lee Tomlin revealed how he nutmegged a team-mate on his first day with the club which earned admiration from manager Aitor Karanka.
Tomlin signed on loan from Cardiff City until the end of the season on deadline day in January with Jamie Ward going in the other direction for the same amount of time.
Tomlin joined the Bluebirds from Bristol City in the summer but struggled to establish himself in the first team this season, making 13 appearances scoring once.
However he now rejoins Aitor Karanka after playing under the Forest manager during his time at Middlesbrough from January 2014 until August 2015 before joining Premier League newcomers Bournemouth.
And Tomlin says he has already settled in well at the City Ground.
He said: “The boys have been unbelievable – even around training just having a laugh and a joke but when you get on the pitch and in training, you work so hard for the gaffer.
“We do so many fitness things we do like keepball and things like that so you shouldn’t really end up with the energy to laugh!
“But on the first day one of the guys got close to me and I nutmegged him and I just saw Karanka laughing and he shouted ‘Tommo, welcome’!
“It feels like I’ve been here for months already.”
Tomlin said he is fit and available for selection and is hoping to feature against Hull at the City Ground on Saturday (February 10) for the 3pm kick-off.
As soon as Karanka called him, Tomlin said he was interested in signing for the Reds and revealed what made him sign for the season.
He said: “The first conversation I had with the gaffer was ‘I heard you want to come back and work for me’ because I left him at Middlesbrough to go to the Premier League.
“I wanted to stay with him when we were both at Boro but the club didn’t offer me a contract so I had to go and I went to Bournemouth.
“I had offers this January of a few other places to go and play but I felt like the other teams would have just been match fitness.
“I know it’s no good playing games and thinking nothing of it and I know Karanka would not accept that – you have to work hard for him.”
