Former Rangers coach Phillippe Clement believes Rangers’ lack of silverware is the main reason for the constant criticism Cyriel Dessers gets fans, Soccernet.ng reports.
Dessers joined Rangers from Cremonese two years ago, after his first attempt at playing in a top five European league ended up as a disaster.
The Super Eagles star has had a topsy-turvy stay in Glasgow, as the fans have always used him as their scapegoats whenever results do not go their way.
However, he has been the best forward at the club, contributing 51 goals and 16 assists in 109 appearances.
Two seasons ago, Dessers won the Scottish League Cup with Rangers. But due to the club’s stature and rivalry with Celtic, that season and the just-concluded season have been disappointments as they were beaten to the Premiership title.
According to former coach Philippe Clement, this is the major reason why Dessers has been constantly maligned by Gers fans.
“I think Cyriel gets abused like nobody else in the club, or on the pitch at least,” Clement told BBC Scotland, per Daily Record.
“But he was always there to work hard and to do everything for the club every day, every training, every game.
“Also in this period in his career, he never scored as many goals as he did at Rangers for the teams he played for in the past.
“So in the end, he performed really well with his qualities. He was top scorer I think at the end of this season.
“Of course fans always want more. Cyriel, if he’d played in a team that had won the league, then he would be for everybody a good player.
“But if you don’t win the league then you are not a good player anymore. That’s life at Rangers. That’s also the life that fans can have.
“It’s only as a club you need to see two things; you need to look at this rationally and not emotionally.”
Cyriel Dessers could leave Rangers this summer
Amid his fine numbers and unreserved criticisms he gets from Rangers fans, Cyriel Dessers has emerged as a target for Greek giants AEK Athens.
The former Greek champions need attacking reinforcements as they look to challenge Olympiakos for the league title.
Although Dessers has expressed his desire to stay at Rangers, there could still be a change if the insults he gets from fans continues and his suitors present a suitable offer.