He’s had his critics this season. Even during a spell of improved form under Philippe Clement, there are still those who feel that Rangers need better.
But for Ibrox icon Kris Boyd, there is no better way for the £4.5 million man to ink his name into the Rangers history books for all the right reasons than by smashing a winner past Old Firm rivals Celtic on Sunday, while putting Clement’s side on track for only their second league title since 2011.
The Gers, Boyd tells the Scottish Sun, need ‘a modern-day hero. Someone to step forward’.
EnterCyriel Dessers, the once-maligned centre-forward who has scored 14 of his 17 Rangers goals since Clement replaced Mick Beale back in October.
Cyriel Dessers can be Rangers’ Old Firm hero
“Rangers might not have an Old Firm specialist like Ally McCoist, Jorg Albertz and Kenny Miller to call on these days,” says Boyd, a winner of two Premiership titles under the late, great Walter Smith.
“But there is an opportunity for a current player to become a Jonas Thern, Bert Konterman, Neil McCann, Pedro Mendes or Daniel Cousin. All (of those players are) remembered for big derby goals.
“It could be Cyriel Dessers, a man who has the chance to show Clement he doesn’t need to spend millions on a striker this summer.”
Rangers have been linked with the likes of Bojan Miovski and Lawrence Shankland since the turn of the year, rumours surrounding the acquisition of a new centre-forward emerging even during Dessers’ best spell of form in Scottish football.
“The Nigerian has the ‘number nine’ shirt and needs to be ruthless against Celtic after wasting a big chance at Parkhead in December,” Boyd adds, Dessers dawdling when through on goal as Rangers lost 2-1 to Brendan Rodgers’ side during their most recent Old Firm meeting.
“Dessers can’t hesitate this time, but the same goes for everyone in Clement’s squad. If you are going to become champions, these are the games you must win.
“End of story.”
14 goals under Philippe Clement for the striker
Dessers, it should be said, is just two goals away from bettering Alfredo Morelos’ tally from three of his five seasons at Ibrox. Morelos netted only 12 times in 2022/23 and, while there remain those who have serious reservations about the Nigerian’s long-term suitability, there is a very real chance that he will end his debut season in Scottish football with at least 20 goals under his belt.
“That’s the life of a striker. You score chances, you are the guy. You miss chances and then suddenly some people, mostly from outside, they say you’re a bad player,” Clement says, referring to the chance that got away for Dessers back in December.
“It doesn’t work that way. I think Cyriel is taking good steps. If I compare the last five months, he’s evolving as a player, he’s becoming better. I don’t see him yet at his best level what I have in mind with him. I think there are still things to improve.
“But I have seen already a lot of things that he improved in that period together. And he’s scoring also much more goals than he was doing before. So his statistics are quite good, for the moment.
“I am not only looking at his goals, I am looking also what he has been doing for the team. He puts a lot of effort in. But also that he gives chances for other players to run in certain spaces or to score goals.
“No, he’s in a good way. I think everybody sees a better player than five months ago, clearly, so that’s the way we need to go with every player.”
