He thinks the centre-back is as good as Chelsea’s Gary Cahill and Everton’s Phil Jagielka…
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce has tipped defender James Tomkins to secure a call up to the England squad in the near future, reports the Daily Express.
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The 25-year-old has made appearances for every England youth team, and played in the Great Britain side that featured at the 2012 Olympics, however, he has never been chosen for a senior squad.
If he were to be picked by manager Roy Hodgson then it would be a major surprise.
Players such as Phil Jones, Calum Chambers, and John Stones appear to be ahead of him in the pecking order as back up for first choices Phil Jagielka and Gary Cahill.
The centre-back has impressed at Upton Park this season, having taken James Collins’ place in the starting XI over the past few weeks, and as a result his boss thinks now is the time for a call up.
Allardyce said: “Roy should look at James. He has really matured and is playing very well and consistently. People can scoff all they want about me saying that but James has been playing consistently well for us.
“When I look at opponents like Phil Jagielka and Gary Cahill, I don’t see a huge amount of difference when I watch them playing against each other.”