GUI.FocusControl & GUI.SetNextControlName doesn't work

I am trying to get set the focus to a text field when the user presses backslash. Here's the code I have tried to implement, but when I press backslash the textfield is not focused. I have indeed confirmed that the unity is detecting the key press so that's not the issue:

 void OnGUI ()
     {
         if(Application.loadedLevel != 0 && Application.loadedLevel != 1)
         {
             #region chat
             //chat stuff
             GUI.SetNextControlName("localChat");
             localChatMsg = GUI.TextField(new Rect(Screen.width*0.01f, Screen.height*0.96f, 180, 22), localChatMsg, 100);
 
             if(GUI.Button(new Rect(Screen.width*0.25f, Screen.height*0.96f, 50, 22), "Send"))
             {
                 _Mukizuserver.SendLocalMessage(localChatMsg);
                 localChatMsg = "";
                 GUIUtility.keyboardControl = 0;
             }
             if(Event.current.keyCode == KeyCode.Return && Event.current.type == EventType.KeyUp)
             {
                 _Mukizuserver.SendLocalMessage(localChatMsg);
                 localChatMsg = "";
                 GUIUtility.keyboardControl = 0;
             }
             #endregion
 }
 
 void Update () 
     {
         //enable chat by pressing backslash
         if(Input.GetKeyUp(KeyCode.Backslash))
         {
             GUI.FocusControl("localChat");
         }
 }