On deadline day last summer, Forest Green Rovers manager Mark Cooper convinced promising Portuguese youngster Toni Gomes to make the trip from the North to the South West in what looked like a good deal for all parties.
Cooper said on Gomes’ arrival:
“He’ll bring pace, power, creativity and can score goals, so I’m looking forward to working with him.
“Adding him gives us more options in the attacking area which is something that we’ve been looking for, in terms of trying to play on the front foot in the last third of the pitch.”
With his manager’s backing and the fans’ excitement of signing their first Liverpool player in history, Gomes was prepared for a strong season and on his first day, he said:
“I’m very happy to be here, I’m looking forward to making my debut – I can’t wait.
“I don’t know which is my best position, I play number 9 but I can play on the wing and as a number 10 in a diamond.
“[on first training session] It was very good, I’m enjoying training and getting to know my team-mates.
“I was watching them play yesterday on YouTube and they love to play and have the ball, that’s good for me.”
Gomes was also named ‘Liverpool’s most precious jewel’ by Sport Bild (German publisher) and featured in the Telegraph’s ‘10 young players for Liverpool fans to get excited about this season’.
So why did it not work at Forest Green Rovers? What went wrong?
Gomes made his debut two-and-a-half weeks after signing, in Forest Green’s 1-1 draw away at Port Vale (then 24th) where he played throughout the duration of the second half.
He started a week later, playing 67 minutes against somewhat local rivals Swindon Town where they were beaten 2-0.
Due his lack of output, Gomes was reduced to a sporadic squad rotation player… until December.
Making five appearances in 14 days across three competitions, Gomes doubled the amount of games he played in total for the Green Devils.
Playing a total of 606 minutes, his loan was mutually terminated and returned to Merseyside for the 1st January, after scoring only once and assisting twice.
Since then, he’s featured three times for Liverpool U23’s and scored once – more than he scored throughout his four-month spell with The Rovers.
One factor which truly hindered the Portuguese striker’s game-time is the form of Christian Doidge, who is joint second highest goal scorer in League two this season.
The Welshman has been talismanic for Forest Green and has scored 38% (16) of their goals so far this season.
Without him as their front man, they would lie 24th in League two with 28 points, after starting all 35 games for Forest Green in League two.
Due to this, he played across three positions whilst in Nailsworth, and was often shoe-horned around other players like Doidge and Keanu-Marsh Brown.
Another hindrance for Gomes could be his inability to communicate fully with his team-mates, as the entirety of the squad (apart from Drissa Traore during his spell) speaks English as their first language.
This affects not only the chemistry with his team-mates on the pitch, but it also could’ve affected the amount of time he spent socialising with his team-mates off the pitch.
Finally, Gomes has never experienced low-league football before and he may have not been used to the well-broadcasted physicality of that level of football.
Being young and inexperienced (first joining Liverpool’s academy aged 17 just two years ago), he may have not been prepared mentally/physically for the challenge at Forest Green
This could also explain why his transition back to Premier League 2 level has been so smooth as that isn’t as physically intense.
Ultimately, the Toni Gomes gamble didn’t pay off and what looked like a great deal for all parties turned out on the contrary.
The experience gained however could be invaluable to the Forest Green scouting network who may now refrain from signing Premier League youngsters, and vice versa for Liverpool.
