Rangers news as Antonio Colak situation assessed with Ibrox future unclear
Antonio Colak’s immediate prospects at Rangers have been assessed amid links to other strikers in the Rangers Review morning briefing [20 June].
The Croatian international was unable to feature regularly under Michael Beale, last season, due to injury issues, featuring just once in the final seven games of the campaign. That was in the last game when he scored in a substitute appearance against St Mirren.
Overall, he made 24 league appearances with an impressive return of 13 goals, as well as a vital contribution to secure Champions League football, with three strikes in four qualifiers.
With Sam Lammers already signed and another striker to follow, there is significant doubt about Colak’s future viability at the club.
Joshua Barrie of the Rangers Review assessed the situation with Lyndon Dykes, Cyriel Dessers and Josh Maja all linked to Ibrox.
“Antonio Colak is tied into all of that,” he said.
“Michael Beale spoke well of him after the last game of the season against St Mirren, saying that he had only been fully fit for one game (in Beale’s time).
“People will say that Colak’s game is limited and he cannot play the split striker role that Beale wants and I understand that. He’s not going to turn his man and run with the ball. He’s not gonna carry it up the pitch, or take his man on out wide.”
Will he be happy?
Barrie rightly acknowledged the job that the German-born Croat performed for Rangers in his debut season, including his purple patch in the early stages of the campaign, under Giovanni van Bronckhorst.
There are obvious limitations to his game, but he does have the knack of being in the right place at the right time and crucially, to be able to score goals.
That commodity is true in most domestic games but he doesn’t give enough against a higher level of opponent, as was exposed in the Champions League and certainly not, for what Beale wants from his strikers.
The manager won’t be in a hurry to see him leave but will he be happy to stick around as third or fourth choice? That is very doubtful.
Colak’s first season was a very eventful one at Rangers, but it could turn out to be his one and only. The full picture will emerge in the coming weeks.
In other Rangers news, Four Lads shares Ibrox exit verdicts with a £12m transfer windfall on the cards.