Rangers manager Philippe Clement has heaped praise on striker Cyriel Dessers after the Nigerian forward scored twice in a 6-0 demolition of Ross County at Hampden Park. Dessers, who has faced criticism this season, took his tally to five goals, earning a standing ovation as he made way for Danilo in the 66th minute.
Dessers was on the verge of completing a hat-trick when Clement decided to substitute him for Brazilian striker Danilo, who marked his return from a six-month injury layoff with a goal. The decision highlighted Clement’s trust in Dessers as a team player, a sentiment the manager made clear in his post-match comments.
“I wanted to give Danilo some minutes because he has been working hard to come back from injury,” Clement explained. “But that’s also the strong point of Cyriel—he’s a team player. Many strikers are only concerned with their own goals, but Cyriel genuinely cares about his teammates, even other strikers like Danny or Hamza Igamane. He’s always giving them tips in training.”
Clement expressed admiration for Dessers’ growth and contribution to the team, emphasizing that his impact extends beyond just scoring goals. “It’s a pity we didn’t meet when he was younger because he still has the potential to evolve, even at 29,” Clement said. “He’s understanding more and more what to do in that role and is becoming increasingly important, not just with goals, but in many other aspects that people might not notice but are crucial for me.”
The Rangers boss also highlighted Dessers’ improving connection with the rest of the team, both on and off the ball. “Cyriel’s getting more and more connection with the rest because it’s repeating things,” Clement added.
The emphatic victory and Dessers’ standout performance have bolstered Rangers’ confidence as they continue their pursuit of silverware this season.