Following weeks of hype over South Africa’s Olwethu Makhanya, which as we know lately has faded a little as the South African has struggled in Rangers’ rearguard, attention has turned to another surprise figure who has started to grow in prominence in Rangers’ defence. The barely ever talked about Croatian international Ivor Pandur. Of course, he is not as yet capped for his country and as yet has not quite burst onto the international scene the way that he might have hoped. But he’s been a very quiet operator in the rearguard for Rangers between the sticks. And Ibrox Noise wanted to look at him for the first time really since he arrived.

Ivor Pandur Rangers arrival was a surprise

He was a very, very surprising addition to Rangers. Pandur was a very curious deal which saw Rangers sell Jack Butland to Hull City for £3m and buy Ivor Pandur from the same club for £6m. Pandur’s exit was down to the fact that he was informed on promotion that he would no longer be first choice. This was no good to him and he wanted to be first choice in the Premier League. So instead he made the move north to Derek McInnes’ Rangers when the bid arrived.

And for the first fair few months, he neither stood out nor did anything wrong. Pandur was just kind of there. Rangers’ defence was looking up and down and most of the attention was turning to how badly Emmanuel Fernandez was doing, the rise of Dujon Sterling, the extraordinary introduction of James Penrice and the growing robustness of Olwethu Makhanya. There was very little focus on the Croatian between the sticks and what he was doing. Mainly because in all honesty there was not much to really scream about.

Ivor Pandur grows in prominence

He was doing little to hijack or ruin things and doing very little to stand out as an exceptional goalkeeper. But in recent weeks that has maybe changed a little bit. Ibrox Noise has not truly been won over yet by the Croat. But we do consider that he has been a reasonably safe pair of gloves between the sticks. There were two or three robust saves at St Mirren. These gained him a lot of praise and a whole bunch of the unsung hero type praise.

Now we do urge a little bit of caution over giving Pandur the kind of praise that we gave Makhanya. This is simply because when someone hears their own hype, they start to believe it. Pandur has been reliable and solid. NOT for us a staggering standout, but a decent and reliable deliverer of safety between the sticks.

Ivor Pandur Rangers performances deserve recognition

But the more that players or fans praise him, including of course his manager, the more that that praise can go to his head. We do not want Pandur to go the same way that currently Makhanya is. And we’re sure the South African will get his form back. But we don’t want to see the goalkeeper believing his own hype as well.

But we must admit he has definitely improved in prominence. And while we’re not necessarily saying he’s quite Andy Goram or Allan McGregor just yet, he’s certainly improved his standing in a quiet understated manner.

Keep it up.