Former Rangers striker Antonio Colak has a new nickname.
And he’s certainly earning his ‘Antoni-goal’ moniker. The Croatia international may have started only one league game since joining Parma from Rangers over the summer – most of his appearances coming off the bench – but a tally of three goals has Antonio Colak cruising towards fans’ favourite territory.
Parma paid £1.7 million for the well-travelled striker in the hope that Colak could be the missing piece on Fabbio Pecchia’s jigsaw. Now top of the Serie B table, a point clear of Palermo, Colak is most definitely living up to his end of the bargain.
Former Rangers striker Antonio Colak shining in Italy
“He has a sense of goal. It’s evident and he demonstrated it with this beautiful goal,” former Parma director Antonello Preiti told Parma Live after Colak bamboozled the Catanzaro backline to open his account for the two-time UEFA Cup winners.
“He has everything to impose himself and become a protagonist in Parma’s attack.
“Honestly, (Parma coach) Fabbio Pecchia has a top-class array of attackers at his disposal, which I believe is unique in Serie B.”
It’s testament to the strength in depth at Parma’s disposal that Colak still tends to start most games on the bench. But, as they say, if it ain’t broke, then there really isn’t anything to fix.
That ‘supersub’ tab may be something of a double-edged sword, as far as the one-time Malmo and PAOK poacher is concerned, but Colak’s ruthlessness in the final third is doing little to dispel the notion that Rangers shot themselves in the foot when allowing Mick Beale to replace a striker of his instincts and composure with a man in Cyriel Dessers who seems devoid of both attributes.
Spearhearing title charge
As Parma Today point out, no player in Serie B has more goals as a substitute this term than Colak. No player has scored more away from home either.
“(These statistics are) indicative of the fact that his team-mates look at Colak with a lot of confidence,” Parma Today write. “Maybe it’s because of his European experience. Maybe it’s because he’s always scored goals.
“This year, Pecchia has an attacker who combines quality (see that Catanzaro goal) with quantity due to all the obscure work he manages to do. With his back to goal, the former Rangers player knows how to defend the ball, he knows how to move for his team-mates and offer strength in the air.”
