Olwethu Makhanya's Fresh Start with Bafana Bafana

Olwethu Makhanya doesn’t hide how bruising his time under Hugo Broos felt.

The Rangers defender, widely seen as one of South Africa’s brightest defensive prospects, spent the June FIFA World Cup window watching from the bench, unable to turn promise into minutes under the former Bafana Bafana head coach.

That period still stings.

New coach, new chance

With Pitso Mosimane now in charge, Makhanya sees a line drawn in his international career.

"I saw the coaching change as an opportunity for a fresh start in the national team because I always felt like I was overlooked by the previous coach," he told SABC Sport.

Overlooked, despite his rise in Europe. Overlooked, despite the growing reputation that earned him a move to Rangers. For a player in his position, the World Cup should have been a stage. Instead, it became a reminder of how little faith Broos seemed to have in him.

Broos, MLS and a point of principle

One of the defining debates of Broos’ tenure was his open criticism of Major League Soccer. Makhanya, who spent a key phase of his development in the United States, sat right in the middle of that storm.

The Belgian questioned the standard of the American top flight. Makhanya never bought into that view and still doesn’t.

"I never understood the criticism because all these people probably never actually watched the MLS. People that really watch that league will tell you that it's high level football," he said.

For him, the issue goes beyond personal pride. It’s about respect for a league he believes is consistently misjudged from afar.

Ranking the leagues

To drive the point home, Makhanya laid out his own ranking of the competitions he has experienced.

"Honestly, if I were to rank them, I'll put the Scottish Premiership first, second is the MLS, and the Betway Premiership is third."

No hesitation. No caveats.

The Scottish Premiership, where he now turns out for Rangers, sits at the top in his eyes. MLS follows, still firmly in the “high level” bracket. The Betway Premiership, back home, comes in third.

It’s an honest snapshot of a defender who has seen three very different football cultures up close and isn’t afraid to challenge old assumptions as he steps into a new era with Bafana Bafana.