Olwethu Makhanya Prepares for First Old Firm Derby
Olwethu Makhanya will walk into his first Old Firm derby on Sunday knowing that, years ago, he almost walked away from football altogether.
The Rangers defender, now a composed presence in Derek McInnes’ back line, admits his career might never have taken off without one firm phone call from home – and a mother who refused to let him give up.
‘Maybe football is not for me’
At 16, Makhanya left home for Johannesburg, chasing a contract and a dream that suddenly felt very far away.
"I went away from home for the first time, tried, but things were not going well," the South Africa international recalled. "I called my mum this one day. I told her 'I just want to come back, maybe focus on education because maybe football is not for me.'
That could have been the end of it. A teenager, alone in a new city, ready to pack it in.
Instead, his mother pushed back.
"The thing that she told me over the phone was that 'you left here telling me that you're going to go play football, so I want you to do that.' I just had to keep on going until things came true for me."
He stayed. He fought for a place. He eventually earned his move to Stellenbosch, the platform that led to Philadelphia Union and, this summer, to Rangers.
At 22, the doubts have gone. The drive hasn’t.
From family phone call to Ibrox backbone
Since arriving from Philadelphia Union, Makhanya has slotted smoothly into McInnes’ defence. Rangers have rattled off four straight league wins, conceding just once in that run, with the new centre-half playing a central role in that solidity.
The late midweek win over St Mirren, carved out under pressure, told him plenty about his new dressing room.
"I think it does highlight the fact that maybe the group is strong mentally," he said. "That shows a lot of mentality and character from the boys.
"It's going to be very important to stay together. I think it shows a lot of togetherness and it's something that we've been working on off the field."
The numbers underline the point: four wins, one goal conceded, momentum building at exactly the right time. The timing could hardly be more significant, with Celtic arriving at Ibrox on Sunday for a League Cup quarter-final that already feels bigger than its billing.
First taste of the Old Firm fire
For all his experience in South Africa and the United States, Makhanya knows he is stepping into something different this weekend. There is no gentle introduction to the Old Firm.
"I think everyone understands what this fixture means to the club, to the fans and everyone," he said. "I'm really excited and looking forward to it.
"I just know that it's going to be a very passionate game. I'm honestly expecting a really, really crazy game from the fans."
He speaks about the occasion with a mixture of excitement and calm, the same balance he has shown on the pitch.
"We just have to try and do our job and deliver because we know the fans are going to be behind us. We're going to use them as an encouragement and also understand that we're also doing it for them. They're going to be very helpful for us."
From that teenage call home in Johannesburg to a cup quarter-final against Celtic at Ibrox, Makhanya has already travelled a long way. On Sunday, under the noise and fury of an Old Firm tie, he gets the chance to show just how far.
