How parental push kept Makhanya's career on track

Rangers defender Olwethu Makhanya has revealed his parents were crucial in pushing him to continue his dream of playing football after he began to doubt he would make the grade.

The South Africa international, who has looked comfortable in Derek McInnes' defence since signing from Philadelphia Union in the summer, admits a nudge in the right direction helped salvage his career.

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Makhanya, 22, left home to move to Johannesburg at 16 in a bid to find a club, eventually signing with Stellenbosch after his mother's crucial intervention.

"I think my parents, especially my mum, played a really big role in me becoming a professional footballer," he said.

"I went away from home for the first time, tried, but things were not going well. 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.'

"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."

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Makhanya has played a significant role in Rangers' four-game league winning run, with just one goal conceded, before hosting Celtic in their League Cup quarter-final on Sunday.

"I think it [the late midweek win over St Mirren] does highlight the fact that maybe the group is strong mentally," he explained.

"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 centre-half conceded he hasn't played in a contest of the magnitude of the Old Firm derby before.

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"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.

"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."

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