How Rangers striker Antonio Colak won over Michael Beale to edge back ahead of Alfredo Morelos

Antonio Colak has not yet completed his first full season at Rangers but has already had to prove himself twice over.

Signed in the summer from PAOK in Greece, the Croatian striker enjoyed a fruitful start to his Ibrox career, scoring 13 in his first 16 appearances to become the club's main marksman and relegating Alfredo Morelos to the bench in the process.

A calf injury in November followed by a change of manager from Giovanni van Bronckhorst to Michael Beale appeared to send Colak back to square one, with Morelos reclaiming the role he had been accustomed to since joining the club in 2017 as the preferred starting striker under the new boss.

Colak's first start under Beale ending with him being replaced at half-time after picking up another knock in the the 2-0 win at Dundee United on January 7 and he has had to make do with substitute appearances since then - that was until Saturday when he returned to the starting line-up for the 3-1 home win over Kilmarnock as Beale rang the changes after the Viaplay Cup final defeat to Celtic.

Rangers striker Antonio Colak celebrates his first of two goals in the 4-1 win over Hibs at Easter Road. (Photo by Paul Devlin / SNS Group)

He kept his place for the midweek trip to Easter Road and responded in style with a brace in the 4-1 win over Hibs that took his season's tally to 17 - seven ahead of Morelos. Beale explained why it has taken so long to put his trust in Colak – and why the 29-year-old has now edged back ahead of Morelos in the pecking order.

"He has not been able to show me what he has because he got injured before I came in and he has been playing bit parts here and there. The last few weeks he has started to look really fit, his personality has come out in the group.

"He's just got natural enthusiasm. He goes and presses and works for his team-mates. He is part of the team. I am delighted for him because he didn’t score at the weekend and his whoe game is not about scoring goals. Some of his link play, his movement, he is infectious in terms of his energy."

Colak’s main aim is to cap his first season at Rangers with a trophy which places great emphasis on Sunday's Scottish Cup quarter-final against Raith Rovers at Ibrox, given the unlikelihood of making up the nine-point gap to Celtic in the title race.

“I won the cup twice in two and a half years when I was in Croatia. I mean, I know how it feels to win a trophy and I know what it takes to win a trophy.

“I know what you have to do for that and it’s a really long way you have to go. I think we’re capable of defending the cup this year and that is our target. If we stay and play like we did against Hibs then I think we can achieve that.

“This is what every player dreams of and this is what I want, also. I am here not only to score goals but I want to win trophies too. This is what I want to achieve with the team. It would be a big achievement for all of us.

“I have been in the trophy room. I was there at the beginning when I joined the club so I know about the history and what is there. I have also seen plenty of YouTube videos of what the feeling is like for the players when they win trophies at this club. This is what I want too.”