Antonio Colak has found himself in and out of the starting line-up at Rangers under Michael Beale and the Croatian centre-forward admits it has been tricky to get fully up to speed in his bid to force himself into the team.
The 29-year-old’s career at Ibrox got off to a blistering start as he provided 13 goals in his first 13 outings in all competitions but the striker has been a bit-part player lately, often coming off the bench and trying to make an impact in the brief time afforded to him.
Colak did just that in last month’s 3-2 Scottish Cup win over Partick Thistle, scoring the equaliser after the Jags had taken a shock lead at Ibrox, and was handed a rare start under Beale in the weekend’s 3-1 victory over Kilmarnock.
“It is not easy sometimes if you come in for 10 minutes,” Colak explained. “Also the speed of the game can change so you can sometimes show more, and sometimes show less.
“If you are playing for a longer time, as I did in the league on Saturday and in the cup against Partick Thistle when I scored, it means a lot for me.
“Every game is different but I try to always perform on the back level. I am back so I hope I can now collect as many games as I can to show that in every game I perform.”
It wouldn’t be unusual Colak to have a list of milestones that he is looking to tick off as he bids to regain his starting berth – first 90 minutes played, a first league goal, and so on – but the man himself takes a far simpler approach.
“To be fair, no [I haven’t set myself individual targets],” Colak said. “I always look day-by-day and Wednesday is a new game where I can be on the scoresheet so I have to work hard for that.
“I hope I can be back but I would never go ‘okay, now I score against Hibs so it’s all good’. I just try to play, no matter what game it is, to play with the same thoughts and the will to win, and hope to score.”
Colak was unable to add to his tally against Kilmarnock but the attacker did provide an assist for Fashion Sakala – something that, rather unusually, the striker says he relishes just as much as putting the ball in the back of the net himself.
“Of course,” Colak replied when asked if an assist means as much as a goal. “This is really enjoyable for myself.
“I mean the best feeling is to score, for sure, but it is also really enjoyable to assist for my team-mates. To have this influence in a game is really important.”
