Former Burnley midfielder Scott Arfield has thrown his support behind Cyriel Dessers, the Nigerian striker who has faced heavy criticism from fans for his performances this season.
Dessers has struggled at times, losing his starting spot to young Moroccan forward Hamzat Igamane before Barry Ferguson took over as head coach.
The Nigerian striker has faced several criticism, including missing chances and lack of involvement in team play.
However, under Ferguson’s management, Dessers has shown signs of improvement, netting three goals in his last three league games.
Despite his recent resurgence, he faced further scrutiny after Rangers’ 3-2 victory over Celtic, where Igamane scored the winning goal and received widespread praise.
Arfield, however, believes the criticism of Dessers has been exaggerated.
Arfield further defended the former Rangers star and also urged Igamane to prove his consistency.
“Now, young Igamane has to show he can be the real deal. In Glasgow, you’re never as good or bad as they say you are,” Arfield said.
“Cyriel Dessers – who gets a raw deal at times in my eyes – is nowhere near as bad as player as some critics claim while Hamza perhaps hasn’t been as good as some of the hype has suggested. But there’s a player in there alright.
“He just needs to keep grafting like the ‘Buff’ and hopefully he’ll hit those heights.”
Despite the criticism, Dessers has had a productive season, scoring 22 goals and providing five assists across all competitions.
His performances earned him a spot in Nigeria’s provisional squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe, though he ultimately missed out on the final selection.
With Rangers pushing to win the UEFA Europa League, Dessers will aim to silence his doubters and continue his strong form under Ferguson’s guidance.