Toti Gomes shocked at Premier League chance with Wolves
Toti Gomes admits he was surprised to stay with Wolves and get his Premier League chance, but says that head coach Bruno Lage gave him the confidence to make the step up.
The 23-year-old was recalled from Swiss top-flight Grasshoppers in January, where he had spent 18-months on-loan, to give Wolves more options at centre-back after Romain Saiss left for the African Cup of Nations.
Gomes went on to play three times for the first team and has stayed with the squad for the rest of the season, but the defender admits he did not expect to stay in England.
"It was a different situation because I was supposed to go back to Switzerland but I came here and gave everything," he told the Express & Star.
"I tried to learn with the guys. The experienced guys, like Coady and all of the players, helped me.
"I was not expecting to stay but I gave everything of myself and in the end the coach gave me that confidence and I had the chance to play with the team. It was really good.
"I was really surprised to stay here, I was not expecting it. It was really nice to stay and I am really happy to be here with the guys.
"Life in England is really good. The players and everybody received me really well, so it was a little bit easier.
"There's a lot of Portuguese players and the coach is as well. I'm enjoying learning and improving myself the most I can.
"Since I was a kid I started learning a bit more English. That's one of the reasons (I have settled well)."
Gomes' first game saw him start in the 3-1 home league win over Southampton on January 15.
The experienced players on the pitch helped Gomes through that game, but he still impressed with a composed performance in front of a loud Molineux crowd.
"I always try to learn with the guys and listen to them," he added.
"My first match was a good match for me and the guys on the pitch helped me a lot. They spoke a lot with me and made me really calm, which helped a lot.
"It was really good. That atmosphere I was not used to – the atmosphere of the Premier League.
"I think a lot of the fans didn't know about me but what I did on the pitch showed who Toti is.
"I'm really happy and they're really good fans."
