Papac's Got A Brand New Tag

May 4 2008 Gordon Waddell

Sasa Was Zero Now He's Hero

THE strikers get all the glory. The centre-halves get all the plaudits. And - this season anyway - the keeper gets all the girls.

But there's always one guy who never gets what he deserves.

The unsung hero. No fuss, no thrills, just gets the job done then blends right back into the wallpaper.

Sometimes they need some love too. So step forward Sasa Papac - time for some appreciation.

The big Bosnian could have folded like a deckchair 16 months ago when Walter Smith walked through the door.

One of the "Austria Vienna Three", possibly the single most embarrassing block booking in Ibrox history. Sebo, Sionko and Sasa. Stinking the place out.

And the minute Paul Le Guen left, all his signings were heading for the door like stampeding buffalo as well.

No-one would have blinked if Papac had been one of them.

Signed as a centre-half he was as guilty as the next man in that horror Le Guen run. Defeats to Inverness and St Johnstone at home. To Hibs, Celtic, Falkirk, Dundee United and Caley Thistle again away.

Fifteen of the first 20 goals lost that season coming from cross balls or set-pieces. It was carnage. Yet here he is, the last evidence that the Frenchman was ever at the club. They should have Papac in a glass case.

But they can't because he has become too damn valuable.

Take a look at his penalty against Fiorentina. When he stepped forward for No.3 you sat there with a gigantic question mark written all over your coupon, didn't you?

But his spot-kick was the coolest of the lot - a slow motion, never-in-doubt stroll in the park.

If the defender's pulse rose above 45 at any point I'd be stunned. Who gets the headlines the next day though?

Mr Champagne Super Novo for the one that sealed it. Fair enough. Davie Weir for an astonishing 120 minutes, just days after looking like he couldn't walk the length of himself. Rightly so too. Carlos Cuellar, the rock at his side. And Neil Alexander, a new shoot-out specialist.

That's the way it has been all season.

Papac though? You'd barely know he was there. And that seems to be just the way he likes it.

The thing is, Walter Smith does too. And the big fella has become vital.

He has started 16 of Rangers' 18 European games this season. And it's what he provides in those matches that really shows you his value.

Size as well as substance. Take a look over the course of a season at the number of back-post headers Papac wins. He tucks himself in there if the ball's out wide left and covers perfectly.

In the first Old Firm game at Parkhead, if he picked off one Aiden McGeady cross he must have done it 10 times. Look at the winning goal that night when Scott McDonald outjumped Steven Whittaker to set it up. Papac would never have lost that header.

And his defensive ability in that role has become indispensable for Smith.

We've all been waiting for the return of Stevie Smith as Rangers' and Scotland's great hope at left-back.

But despite all his qualities he can't do what Papac does for the team in the same position because of his height. And especially in Europe. Look down the left flank in those games and you'll see Lee McCulloch and Papac. Six-foot-plus grafters not giving you an inch.

Smith might deliver a better ball, might be more dynamic going forward but we're talking about Rangers in Europe here, right?

And we all know what that means this season. It might be ugly but hell, it works. And Papac is one of the biggest reasons it does.