How Rangers have improved Olwethu Makhanya as legend slides into DMs and the role of Mark Haskins

Philadelphia Union’s Olwethu Makhanya certainly wasn’t a household name among the Ibrox faithful. He is now. Many are calling him the signing of the season - and he is already being tipped to earn Rangers millions in profit.

These are early days in Makhanya’s Rangers career, but so far, so good. He is athletic, aggressive, good with the ball at his feet and positionally sound. His partnership with fellow central defender Emmanuel Fernandez is flourishing with each passing game and five clean sheets in six matches is evidence of the team’s growing solidity.

Makhanya’s form earned him the player of the month for September - wider recognition of his performances at Ibrox.

Even Richard Gough has taken notice. The former Rangers captain was a dominant centre-half himself and Makhanya revealed that the former Scotland internationalist has been in touch to congratulate him on the start to life at Ibrox.

“It’s good to get some advice from a legend,” smiled Makhanya ahead of Saturday’s Premiership match at home to Kilmarnock. “We spoke a little bit on Instagram. I didn’t know much about him as a player but I did some research and saw how successful he was for this club. To hear from him meant a lot to me.

“He congratulated for me the way I have been playing and he happens to be an old friend of my agency. Before he even reached out to me, I knew about him and he was telling me about his own journey. He gave me advice on what to keep doing and all of that.”

Makhanya has evidently improved since moving to Rangers. Capped once by South Africa, who reached the last 32 of the World Cup, prior to moving across the Atlantic, he started Bafana Bafana’s three matches during this international window. The player himself identifies one area of his game that has flourished since the summer.

What Makhanya has improved at Rangers

“I would say I have improved mentally now,” commented Makhanya. “I am able to embrace anything I am going through. There is pressure in every game and the younger me would maybe fall under that pressure.

“Now I understand that pressure is a privilege, especially when you are playing for such a big club with all the expectation. I always try to make sure I am in a really good place mentally.”

Makhanya identified someone who has assisted him with the transition to Rangers. “Mark Haskins, who is a legend back home, happens to work with my agency and he is someone I speak to a lot,” Makhanya said of the former South African midfielder. “He always tries to help me.”

Rangers have been on Makhanya’s radar for a while given that one of his idols growing up represented the club. South African midfielder Bongani Zungu spent a season on loan between 2020 and 2021, playing under Steven Gerrard and winning the Premiership title.

“To be part of this club is a dream come true for me,” said Makhanya. “I have always wanted to play at this level. When I was young in South Africa, I used to look up to a player called Bongani Zungu. He played for Rangers and being here too is really a dream for me and a huge honour. At that time, Zungu was one of the few South Africans who played overseas in Europe. To come and play here has always been a dream and that is why I looked up to him.”

Replicating Zungu’s success at Ibrox and becoming a champion is an ambition of everyone at Rangers this season. Makhanya’s boss Derek McInnes was named manager of the month in a Govan clean sweep and the defender feels everyone is pulling in the right direction. A victory over Kilmarnock at Ibrox on Saturday will put Rangers top of the league, with Celtic not in action until Sunday.

“It is always good to get individual recognition but football is a team sport,” added Makhanya. “I feel like I was able to get this award because of everyone around me. As a defender especially, I can’t do it alone, so it’s all credit to my team-mates and the coaches for the work they put in.

“Everyone is in the right space and we know what we are doing. I’m not sure if it’s been a better start than I expected, because I always expect to do well. Right now I feel we are on a good run of form. We are going in the right direction and we need to keep on doing the things that have been working for us.”

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