Palace’s Tomkins ‘looking forward’ to working with new coach Lee

Crystal Palace defender James Tomkins says he is relishing the prospect of working with the Eagles’ new assistant manager Sammy Lee.

The former Liverpool midfielder his linked up with namesake and Palace boss Sam Allardyce once again, after working with him when the latter managed Bolton and England.

Tomkins, who joined Palace from West Ham United for £12 million in the summer, said Lee has hailed the spirit of the Eagles camp, as they club looks to move away from the Premier League relegation zone.

“Sammy Lee met with the lads and he spoke well,” Tomkins said.

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“Training went well and he said the spirit seems right and he is looking forward to working with us and trying to improve us.

“We will see how it goes and hopefully it will be a good partnership, with all of us together to shoot up the league.

“I have worked with him at England levels before and he has got that character about him – he is a Scouser and sometimes they have that character.

“You want to train hard and impress them and it is important that we show them what we can do.

“It is like a whole new system of people, but we are all in the same frame of mind in trying to get wins together and build from there.”