Promise Omochere joined Bristol Rovers for a club-record fee last summer but experienced an injury-hit first campaign.
It is no secret that there is concern for where the goals will come from this season for Bristol Rovers based on their current resources.
Only three teams scored fewer goals in League One last season than the Gas’ 44 en route to relegation and, at the time of writing, Rovers haven’t yet added reinforcements to their offensive ranks this summer.
In fact, the Pirates are lighter up top than they were last term given Chris Martin’s injury. Although the striker failed to get close to repeating his impressive goal tally of 16 from the previous campaign, he still finished joint-second-top scorer with five goals.
At this moment in time, the 36-year-old isn’t technically contracted to Rovers anymore but is continuing his rehabilitation for a knee injury with the club before they make a decision on whether or not they offer him a new deal.
Former loanee Michael Reindorf has also since returned to parent club Cardiff City before going out on loan again to Newport County.
Bringing in a striker is now the Gas’ main priority with only a couple more incomings expected, but signing a goalscorer can tend to be the most complicated type of deal to get over the line. If they’re good enough, there will be demand elsewhere and the reality is that, as a League Two club now, Rovers aren’t exactly going to be first in the queue for some of their targets.
Other factors can also prolong these deals from being completed promptly, meaning that it may well be some time until the Pirates add to their strikeforce. In fact, it could be after the season has already started.
Ricky Martin may well have to splash the cash to land a striker that can give the Gas a stronger chance of sealing promotion, but at some point Rovers have to start seeing a better return from their past investments too.
Considering that Darrell Clarke wants to work with a small squad, the majority of the group he ends up with after the window has shut will be made up of players he has inherited, most of whom played significant roles in last season’s relegation.
The Rovers head coach has an outstanding reputation for man management and one of his biggest tasks is sapping more quality out of players than was shown last year. If anyone can, it’s him.
Buying a striker expected to score 20-plus goals will help, of course it will, but the Gas will only get promoted this year if they get more out of the players that were already here. One of those is Promise Omochere.
There are players that had more disappointing seasons last year in blue-and-white quarters, but it still feels like Rovers have only seen a fraction of what Omochere is capable of.
Although it has never seemed to faze him in interviews when brought up, the Irishman carries the tag of being the club’s record signing, something he never asked for.
After scoring four goals in an injury-plagued first campaign in BS7, it is fair to say that the 24-year-old hasn’t yet lived up to the reported £500,000 fee paid to Fleetwood Town. That certainly doesn’t mean the forward should be written off though.
Those who watched the 1-1 draw against Wrexham and 3-1 defeat at Exeter City around Christmas time would have noticed a sharper Omochere as the Irishman scored in back-to-back matches upon returning from a spell out caused by an ankle problem before a broken hand.
New management in the form of Íñigo Calderón and a seemingly fit and firing Omochere was extremely exciting. Frustratingly, hopes of finally seeing the best of the big-money signing evaporated quickly as a hamstring injury picked up early into a New Year’s Day defeat to Leyton Orient put the forward back on the treatment table for two months.
Two games and eight minutes into his return from that problem, another issue arose that ruled him out for the remainder of the campaign.
Even when he had just arrived, then-manager Matt Taylor was explaining that the striker’s minutes had to be managed on the back of a disjointed pre-season with a move away from Fleetwood looking likely.
This year though, Omochere has been able to join in with the vast majority of pre-season so far, playing 30 minutes in the opening friendly against Chippenham Town with more game time expected against Stockport County on Saturday.
Clarke admitted that he and strike partner Ruel Sotiroiu have had to have their minutes managed after missing a part of preparations, but the Irishman is still on course to have a much more productive pre-season than last year which will hopefully put him in good stead for the upcoming campaign.
From first glance, the 24-year-old looked the most lean he has been in a Rovers shirt against Chippenham and showed what his game is all about with his role in Sotiriou’s goal. Using his strength to beat the defender, get into space and demonstrate intelligence when squaring to his strike partner.
Some of his finishes in training shown in content published by the club’s media team have also looked sharp, although there will have also been misses that obviously didn’t make the highlights reels.
Even in an underwhelming first season with the Pirates, Omochere showed that there is more to his game than just goals. Unfortunately, that’s what he was always going to be judged on.
By bringing in another striker, a bit more pressure can be lifted from the Irishman’s shoulders while it will also add to concerningly low numbers.
Sotiriou obviously had a much stronger second half of the season than his first last term and will also be an asset, assuming he’s still at the club. Meanwhile, as much of a talent as Ollie Dewsbury is, at 17 the academy product shouldn’t be relied upon to be a frequent starter and scorer. Other than that trio, there aren’t really any other natural options up top.
Micah Anthony played 60 minutes alongside Dewsbury up front in the Chippenham friendly and scored from a corner but the 21-year-old is quite clearly a winger.
Omochere certainly isn’t the only Rovers player who deserves a fresh chance with supporters – all of them do – but he in particular has shown that with better guidance, management and more efficient pre-season preparations he has the capabilities to be a key player this season for the Gas.
Everyone loves a shiny new striker every summer, but a fit Omochere could certainly have the same effect.
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