Antonio Colak might be SPFL top scorer but Rangers place could still slip – and I should know, says Kris Boyd
THERE’S no doubt Rangers would be far worse off without Antonio Colak’s goals this season.
The Croat has hit the net 14 times already, and is one the few Ibrox summer signings to have been a success.
For me, he is the best finisher at the club, but I do fear for him going forward under the new manager.
Colak could be a victim of the way Michael Beale’s Rangers will play.
He is already behind the eight ball as the new manager has worked with Kemar Roofe and Alfredo Morelos previously.
Beale knows both strikers inside out, and talked the pair up when he was unveiled.
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I have always said Roofe is the best all-round forward at Ibrox.
He brings the most to the team, he scores goals, can link the play and is effective through the middle or coming off the flank.
His issue, and it is a major one, is that he can’t stay fit for any period of time. Roofe has been unavailable more than he has been available since joining from Anderlecht.
Hopefully, he can get back on the pitch sooner rather than later, although it is alarming how much time all the injured players at Ibrox seem to be sidelined for. It doesn’t matter who is crocked, they take forever to get back.
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Beale also knows what makes Morelos tick, and it will be interesting to see how he reacts to the managerial change.
The Colombian was a shadow of his former self at the end of Gio van Bronckhorst’s reign and was nothing short of a disgrace at times. Right now the biggest question is whether the gaffer can really trust Morelos?
I’m not sure because if he doesn’t get his own way then the toys are out of the pram.
I will be intrigued to see how Beale handles him, and if the player responds.
It would not surprise me either if he dips into the transfer market in January for a forward.
That could see Colak pushed further down the pecking order.
As the top scorer in Scottish football so far this season that seems harsh, but I have been there before.
I actually see similarities between Colak and myself in terms of his scoring record and his instincts in the penalty box.
He’s always looking to peel off the centre-half, and has a habit of being in the right place at the right time.
I took stick for not linking the play enough, and there is no doubt Roofe and Morelos do that far better than Colak.
But when I was at Gers I didn’t need to do that as I was surrounded by players who could.
My job was to get in the box and score goals. Colak does the same and he does it effectively.
When I was at Middlesbrough, after being signed by Gordon Strachan, I wasn’t firing on all cylinders, the opposite from Colak.
He wanted me to operate in a certain way, but when he left Tony Mowbray took over and changed it up completely.
I knew my time up was at The Riverside as Mowbray totally altered the way he wanted us to play, and I was never going to fit in.
I didn’t have any problems with him. That was his prerogative. I joined Nottingham Forest and banged in a few goals there.
Colak might also find himself on the outside looking in, as I’m not convinced he has all the attributes that Beale is looking for.
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Listening to what has been said over the last 72 hours it sounds like the board are going to back their new boss in January — and it needs to be done.
Some players are not good enough, some are coming to the end of their careers, some are reaching the end of their Rangers time, while there is also a massive injury list.
If Gers want to get back to the top of Scottish football then huge changes are required.
I do agree with Beale’s assessment that there is still some terrific talent at Ibrox. But to be successful, you need to keep putting building blocks in place when you’re at the summit.
If you don’t then you quickly find yourself playing catch-up.
It is the same with any business. If you don’t reinvest you will come up short against your competitors.
While I’m sure Beale will bring in an additional striker there are other areas he has to strengthen.
The right-wing position has been an issue since Daniel Candeias left.
It has been a blind spot for the club, and one that must be urgently sorted out.
Getting the team much fitter is the other major challenge facing the new man — Rangers were laboured and lacklustre in so many games this term.
The football was so lethargic, and that was not the style fans were used to under Beale and Steven Gerrard.
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They must come back after the break sharper, quicker and more aggressive.
Beale has promised that will be the case. Now it is time for him and his players to deliver.
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