Sasa: I Lived In Fear Of The Axe

Mar 9 2008 By Euan Mclean

SASA PAPAC is proud to be the only Paul Le Guen buy who survived the Ibrox cull after Walter Smith took over last year - but has revealed he feared the axe too.

The Bosnian watched flops Filip Sebo, Libor Sionko, Karl Svensson and Jeremy Clement follow Le Guen out the door within six months of the Frenchman's exit and wondered if he would be next.

But Papac's decision to get his head down and prove himself to Smith has paid off.

The central defender's willingness to slot in at left-back has earned him 32 appearances this season and he can't believe how far Rangers have come.

Papac said: "When the boss who signed you leaves you think about everything.

"When one player after another goes I thought it was possible I would go also.

"But I concentrated on the pitch and in training and told Walter I could help Rangers.

"He spoke to me and I am happy. We have had positive results and everything is great.

"Maybe I'm lucky but I was never a player for Le Guen, I'm a player for Rangers.

"Now I can't believe how far the team has come in a year.

Walter has bought top players to strengthen the squad - he is good at shopping!"

Recent months have seen Steven Whittaker used increasingly at left-back for domestic games with Papac drafted in for European ties.

It has been a similar scenario for holding midfielder Brahim Hemdani and Sasa insists both men are happy to be kept in reserve for the big games.

Papac said: "It's OK, I just train hard when I'm not playing because it can be hard to keep your match sharpness.

"In Europe the only game I have missed was Red Star Belgrade because of injury.

"I'm happy and so is Brahim. We are in four competitions and it's important to have two teams from a squad of 25."