Rangers striker Cyriel Dessers might’ve netted a deadly double v Dundee but it still might not be enough to silence the doubters.
The 29-year-old Nigerian international has blown hot and cold in Scotland since moving to Rangers last summer but was the man of the moment on the club’s return to Ibrox.
Netting two goals and winning a James Tavernier penalty in the 3-0 win over the Dee, it was a commanding performance by Cyriel Dessers in Glasgow’s southside.
But despite the striker netting his sixth and seventh goals of a productive season to date, Dessers still had to answer questions on the growing sounds around one of his Ibrox teammates.
Cyriel Dessers hails ‘special’ Hamza Igamane
Heading into the clash with Dundee at Ibrox, there were increasing calls for Hamza Igamane to be given the nod in the ‘number nine’ berth.
For all of Cyriel Dessers’s success this season there remains a question mark over the hitman in the biggest games and until he starts becoming a reliable goalscorer in tight matches v Celtic or in Europe that will remain.
Hamza Igamane impressed in a cameo v Dundee United and as a result Rangers fans wanted to see more of the young Moroccan.
Cyriel Dessers was asked about the increased competition at Ibrox following the game and, gracious as ever, lauded the potential of Igamane.
Claiming that the 21-year-old striker has ‘something special’, Dessers is willing the kid to contribute this season.
“Obviously you want to be pushed in training and in the games,” Dessers told Premier Sports.
“You need to perform to hold the jersey like you say but also with Danilo and Hamza (Igamane) coming in as well.
“You can see when he’s coming in today as well, he has something special.
“He’s a very good player and I am sure he’s going to help us this season and I hope he’s going to help us a lot.”
‘Rangers strikers will all have to contribute’
Cyriel Dessers couldn’t evade questions on Hamza Igamane in his post-match press conference either.
The big striker was asked a direct question about competition at Rangers amid calls from fans online to see Hamza Igamane instated into the first team.
In true Cyriel Dessers style, the big strike laughed off the line of questioning and insists that he is determined to see both Hamza Igamane and Danilo be successes at Ibrox.
“I am happy with (the competition) actually,” said Dessers.
“I think at a big club like Rangers there will always be competition and I think that’s good.
“We play 65 games in a season; probably I will not play 65 games 90 minutes.
“So I think it’s really good that Hamza (Igamane) and Danilo are here and I’m sure that we’ll need them and that they will be ready in that moment.
“You can see Hamza – he has something. I can see it as well in the training when he comes in, he has something.
“And I am happy with that and I’m supporting him, he’s supporting me, we’re helping each other.
“Because like I say in a long season that you have at Rangers, you want to do well in the two cups, in the league, in Europe, you cannot do it alone as a striker.
“We will need all of our strikers this season and hopefully we can score a lot of goals, all of us.”
Cyriel Dessers now has 29 goals and 11 assists in 63 appearances since moving to Rangers last summer.
