Rangers boss Walter Smith is delighted with the impact this season of Nikica Jelavic. As Gers hunt their third title in three years, Smith admits Jelavic is the man he can't live without right now.
He said: "I thought he was a good player and obviously pursued him to that end. I did take a gamble in bringing him in, rather than bringing in three or four players for that kind of money.
"That was my gamble. I just felt that we had to show we were keeping a level of player coming in at the club. He's been unfortunate through injury. I think next season he'll show what he can really do.
"But it was a hard decision to bring him in during the summer. I knew we might be short, but Rangers had gone down the road previously of taking players where we maybe did not think they were of the level required.
"It was an awkward decision because I knew we needed three or four. But I took one and hoped he didn't get injured or suspended during the season. In that sense, it hasn't worked out for us.
"But the boys have covered for it and we find ourselves where there is still a chance we can win the league, which is a great thing for them. But that's probably as hard a decision as I have had to make.
"Not signing him - that was an easy decision. But knowing that we needed five players - not two or three. I thought then that we would be in danger of the allowing the level of player to drop.
"That's why I signed only one."
