Rangers Defender Olwethu Makhanya Seeks Guidance from Club Icon Richard Gough

Rangers defender Olwethu Makhanya has received words of encouragement from club legend Richard Gough following his strong start to the season. Makhanya, who joined the Glasgow club from Philadelphia Union for approximately £3 million in the summer, has become a key figure in manager Derek McInnes's defense. His performances were particularly noteworthy in the recent back-to-back victories against Celtic.

Makhanya was recognized for his form by winning the Premiership player of the month award for September, a period during which Rangers secured six consecutive wins. Gough, a former captain of Rangers and a native of South Africa, publicly praised Makhanya on social media.

Speaking about the interaction, Makhanya described it as an honor to receive pointers from one of the club's esteemed former players. "It's good to get some advice from a legend," Makhanya stated. "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 me for the way I have been playing and he happens to be an old friend of my agency."

Makhanya also noted that Gough shared insights from his own career. "Before he 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."

Rangers have seen a significant upturn in form leading into the international break, closing the gap on league leaders Celtic to just two points. A victory against Kilmarnock on Saturday would see them potentially move to the top of the table, depending on Celtic's result.

Makhanya, still early in his career, has quickly established himself as a central defender. He admitted to the intense pressure of playing for a club like Rangers but feels he is learning to manage expectations effectively. "Right now, I feel we are on a good run of form," he continued. "We are going in the right direction and we need to keep on doing the things that have been working for us. Celtic is one of the more difficult teams in the league and being able to beat them twice tells you a lot about the quality we have in the team. That gives us more belief to keep on going. I would say I have improved mentally. I am able to embrace anything I am going through."

He added, "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 expectations. I always try to make sure I am in a really good place mentally. 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."

Following McInnes's manager of the month award for September, Makhanya's player of the month accolade completed a clean sweep for Rangers. Makhanya credited his teammates, including defensive partner Manny Fernandez, for his individual success. "It means a lot to feel appreciated by the supporters. I can keep doing what I do. It does put me a little bit under pressure but that is good. My relationship with Manny is really good, even off the field. We understand each other a lot more now and we balance each other when we play. I feel it's a good partnership. It is always good to get individual recognition but football is a team sport. 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."