Rangers midfielder Bongani Zungu is confident he'll establish himself as a first team regular as he lifts the lid on life at Ibrox.
The South African international joined on loan from Amiens in the summer but has struggled to break his way into Steven Gerrard 's side.
With Rangers surging clear at the top of the Premiership that's perhaps no surprise, but Zungu is content to bide his time.
The midfielder is delighted to be working under his childhood idol and revealed that Gerrard has carried the demanding standards of his playing career into management.
Zungu explained: "We call him the gaffer. He's very demanding.
"When you look at the kind of player he was, he had everything and had a big personality and he's still like this.
"I followed him as a youngster and when I signed he said he saw something in me that was like him. That was very humbling.
"He's a very demanding coach who takes every game seriously and pays a lot of attention to detail. He likes players who are humble - you need to be a gentleman.
"Off the pitch, we must mind what we say to the media, mind what we post, he's very strict and knows everything.
"I've been there a few months now and I've learned so much from him. As a midfielder, we do have one-on-one discussions and I ask him about movement.
"There are coaches that when they enter the dressing room, you feel their presence and that's him.
"He's a very good person and extremely professional so I am very happy to have the opportunity to work with him.
"He believes in high standards and we all listen to him and take instructions. I think the fact that he is Steven Gerrard and one of the greatest midfielders in the world during his career helps. Everyone listens to him.
"Our record is down to him. It goes back to him and his high standards. This is how he coaches. You can tell this guy has been successful.
"Things like nutrition, he's very strict about it. He's just very professional."
And the 28-year-old, speaking in an South African radio station interview, believes he will eventually force his way into the Rangers starting line-up and accepts he's had to wait for now because the Ibrox side keep winning.
He said: "I'm enjoying my football and I'm happy with my life. Rangers make life easy for me, especially in this Covid times when you could get lonely. They have been great to me.
"I'm being managed by childhood idol, Steven Gerrard and I'm being given an opportunity to play in Europe.
"Even when I left Mamelodi Sundowns years ago I said my ambition was always to play in European competition. I'm now playing for a team that always wants to win games and there's always pressure to perform and I love that.
"I love big games and I've been given an opportunity to play that here.
"It's going to take me a bit of time to settle because it's very cold here and I'm still understanding tactics and getting to know what the coach wants.
"The team keeps winning games and they are full of quality. The standard of player at Rangers is very high. Sometimes when you get a new player arriving, it helps the other players to kick on too.
"I'm looking to keep learning and in time, I hope I can start every game. I am confident that will be very soon.
"From my team mates, Joe Aribo is a good person who is doing very well. I've been very impressed with him.
"Jermain Defoe is a great guy. When i first arrived at Rangers and I was a bit reserved, Jermain went out his way to talk to me like he's known for me for years.
"He talked about Steven Pienaar who he played with at Spurs. We just got along, he's a great guy, a great professional who demands a lot. He doesn't play every game but he's great with the youngsters too and always smiling.
"It's all about working hard every day for me. I'm trying my best to go as high as I can."
