Olwethu Makhanya has already settled into the heart of Derek McInnes' defence at Rangers, and former Philadelphia Union team-mate Alejandro Bedoya says there is much more to come from the 22-year-old centre-back.
Makhanya was the quiet man of the locker room at Philadelphia Union, but he has quickly become a standout performer at Ibrox. Of all McInnes' summer signings, the South African has been the most impressive so far, arriving from the MLS with little fanfare and adapting seamlessly to the Scottish Premiership.
Bedoya, a former Rangers midfielder who spent a year at the club during their financial troubles in 2011/12, watched Makhanya arrive in America as a youngster and take time to adjust. He barely said a word when he got to Philadelphia, but Bedoya was impressed by his attitude.
Quiet start, big potential
Bedoya described Makhanya as under-stated, hard-working and humble, adjectives that also sum up his play at the heart of Rangers' defence. He believed Makhanya would need a settling-in period in Glasgow that might take months, but instead he has adapted quickly and become McInnes' best defender in no time.
In an exclusive interview with Record Sport, Bedoya, who is retiring at the end of this MLS campaign, said: "Olwethu is a very quiet lad but being from South Africa, he obviously speaks good English. He wouldn't say much when he first arrived in Philadelphia. But what I liked about him was his worth ethic. He was always willing to listen, then get his head down and work."
"When he first came, like anyone trying to get acclimated to the States, he had to take a lot of direction and then try to put it into practice. For Rangers, he'll be a great guy to have in the locker room because he doesn't come with an ego. He's not a huge personality, so he won't give you any issues. He's a humble guy. Olwethu is someone who comes in and just gets to work."
Bedoya's verdict on Makhanya
Bedoya added: "I always saw the potential in him because of the way he carried himself. He's smart enough as a defender to realise which strikers he has to sit off against and which ones he can go and win his battle. He's still only 22, but he's got two seasons under his belt in the MLS, and I've watched him grow in confidence. He'll develop even more at Rangers."
Makhanya has barely put a foot wrong since McInnes put him into the team, despite a difficult start to the season. His positional sense is terrific, he has a desire to defend, and he does the basics really well without over-complicating the game.
Bedoya, who Rangers spoke to before signing Makhanya, feels it is an astute acquisition. He said: "I think Olwethu will be a good signing. All I'd ask the fans, is to have a bit of patience with him. It probably took him a year over here to get settled in the MLS as a young lad. But when he got into the team, he played well, he was confidence and showed his talent."
Physicality and future at Ibrox
"He's still young. Rangers are signing a guy who they obviously feel is not just someone who can go into the team now, but also an investment for the future. He's hit the ground running but they still have to be patient. He's got undoubted ability and quality, and I've no doubt he'll show that. With his size, he's got good aerial ability. I thought the one thing he'd have to get used to would be the physicality of the Scottish league."
"But he's very good technically, with the ball at his feet. He can play forward passes between the lines. Also, his recovery speed is excellent. He's got long strides so he's able to recover really well. Olwethu very rarely gets beat in behind. Even if he loses a ball, he's very good at getting back. He's adjusted there already. Some of the strikers in Scotland are really physical, more so than the MLS. So the people at Rangers will probably be working with him in the weight room! But Olwethu's positional sense is fantastic. I hoped that he'd step straight into the team and become a starter from day one, and he's managed to do that."
Bedoya spent only 13 months at Ibrox under Ally McCoist but still holds the club close to his heart. After arriving from Orebro in Sweden, he picked up an injury, and when he finally started to find his feet, the club plunged into administration. He was sold on and had spells at Helsingborgs and Nantes before a 10-year career at Philadelphia Union.
Bedoya admits he was desperate to be successful in Glasgow but now hopes the club's American owners can lead them to silverware again. He said: "I always look back because I was so excited to go to Rangers. I picked them over some Bundesliga clubs in Germany. I knew Maurice Edu, who was there, and I wanted to get back into the US national team. I knew players who had been there and everyone raved about their time at Rangers. Ibrox, the passionate fanbase, the Old Firm derby - it's a huge club with so much tradition and history. So I was pumped to go there but it's just a shame that it didn't really work out, with everything that happened. I just wish I had more of an opportunity to do well."
"I really hope the American owners can get Rangers back to being the number one team in Scotland again. The ownership group has the balance sheet in a better position, and I hope they can get back to good scouting, recruitment - and give the team the reinforcements to win the title again."
