Rangers defender Connor Goldson has praised teammate Nikola Katic for bouncing back from Steven Gerrard’s decision to freeze him out of the starting lineup.
Defensive partner Katic, who was signed for around £2m from Slaven Belupo last summer, was a regular starter for the Gers in the first half of the season but lost his place to loan acquisition Joe Worrall.
Gerrard has restored Katic to the first-team in recent weeks with the Glasgow side having won five Scottish Premiership games in a row, and Goldson told the club’s official website that his fellow centre-back has earned the recognition from his manager.
“Niko has done really well, he has settled right back in and he is looking confident again,” the defender said.
“He is looking the player he was at the start of the season, I feel like he has calmed down and he is just playing his own game and not being worried or nervous about having to impress.
“I feel like he is just playing his own game and when he does that he is a top player.”
OPINION
It hasn’t been the easiest of starts to life at Rangers for Katic. Having been brought in as one of Steven Gerrard’s first signings at the Ibrox helm, the Croatian had a great opening to the season. But the 22-year-old must have been wondering what he did wrong to make Gerrard freeze him out of the team, but Rangers fans will love the defender’s attitude. He hasn’t sat back and accepted that his season is over, that Gerrard prefers Worrall at the back. No. He has kept up a professional attitude and worked hard in training. And he’s certainly got his reward. Rangers have won five in a row, keeping four clean sheets in the process, and Katic has had a big role to play in that set of results. In fact, it might even make Gerrard think twice about dropping the defender. Nonetheless, Gerrard will be mightily pleased to have seen one of his players respond to a setback in such a positive way.