Glasgow Rangers summer signing Nikola Katic made an impact on his Ibrox bow, scoring in the emphatic 6-0 win.
When Steven Gerrard arrived at Rangers earlier in the summer, there was no question that his main concern had to be addressing the defensive situation after a campaign where the Gers had often looked vulnerable against sides that they would have been hoping to dispatch with some ease.
Gerrard has certainly looked to address the situation however, with Connor Goldson and Nikola Katic arriving and forming what looks set to be Rangers’ first-choice partnership for next season.
It is too soon to know for sure whether the pair will form the kind of partnership that helps make Rangers title contenders, but surely the early signs hint that the Ibrox faithful could have their next cult-hero in Katic in particular.
Signed for £2 million – fee reported by The Scottish Sun – the Croatian was probably not a player that many Rangers fans would have heard of before he was linked with a move to Ibrox. However, there appears to be reason to believe that he will become an extremely popular player in years to come.
From the behind closed doors game against TNS and the pre-season friendly against Bury last week, Katic is already showcasing his fantastic heading ability as well as his clear desire to get stuck in and make some impressive challenges.
And to crown it all off, the 21-year-old showed the bravery to attempt a long-range effort in the game against Bury. It was just after the half-hour mark when the youngster attempted to drill the ball home from around 30 yards.
It was not the most ferocious strike by any means, and needed a bobble over the goalkeeper, but the ball found its way into the back of the net to double the Gers’ lead in a game that they would ultimately win 6-0.
The fact that the shot was hit with his weaker foot and that the goal prompted Katic to celebrate quite passionately suggests that he could prove to be the kind of player that the fans have little problem getting behind. He clearly showed what the goal meant to him, despite it not being a classic and coming in a friendly, and establishing that bond between himself and the supporters could make all the difference during his first year with the Gers.
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