Antonio Colak has opened up on his time at Rangers, explaining how he still loves the club and won't forget his spell at Ibrox.
The striker was signed by Giovanni van Bronckhorst in the summer of 2022, only a few months after the Dutchman led the club to the Europa League final in Seville.
Colak hit the ground running, netting 13 goals in 24 league appearances before the annual Scottish Premiership split.
Now with Spezia Calcio in Italy's Serie B, Colak has opened up on his time in Glasgow: "For me, I tell you honestly, I love Rangers," he said (RecordSport).
"I follow every match because I got affected by that club and their fans. I had a successful period there, personally.
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"But unfortunately, circumstances meant I had to leave. I wish I had a longer time at Rangers. Somehow, I just had a feeling that I fit into that club and that environment.
"It’s a special, unique club. It’s a way of life. Not every player can stand the pressure or expectation there. But I immediately felt welcomed there. Why did I feel that way? It’s a difficult question to answer.
"It suits some players and others, maybe not. It’s about the fans, the history, everything. Immediately, it became a love for me, not a pressure. It gave me motivation and ambition."
Ultimately, despite his impressive first season with the club, Colak left Rangers after only a year.
Michael Beale's arrival as manager signalled the end of a spell which the 31-year-old wishes lasted longer: "In the summer of 2023, I knew I had to leave," he said.
"On our pre-season trip to Germany, I could see right away how things were going. I could see the position I was in. Where I was in the rankings of the players. So I knew I’d have to go.
"It was a sad situation for me, especially with what I’d achieved the year before. I’ll never forget the moment Rangers made a highlights video of me to say goodbye. It was really emotional for me.
“I was frustrated because I knew I could do the job of scoring goals at Rangers. I felt it when I arrived. I was the Croatian number nine, after Dado Prso and Nikica Jelavic - it was meant to be for me. That’s how I felt. I signed a contract for three years and felt sure I’d be there for that time. I didn’t want to go.
“I’m not an angry person, I try to see everything in a positive way. I had to make the best out of the situation. I didn’t change. I’m the same guy, same player now. You can only influence things in your control.
“Other things, you can’t influence, so you have to move on. When I look back at my career, nothing compares to Rangers. They stand out as the biggest club.
"Of course, I wish I could have won trophies there - that was the only thing missing. But they’re my number one club. When I watch the games now, I still think - that could be me. Could I still have been scoring goals there? Yes, I think I could.”
Now a self-confessed Rangers fan, while Colak's time at the club didn't go as planned, his love endures.
It remains to be seen what he could have achieved had his stay in Glasgow prolonged, but it simply wasn't to be.
