- Nigeria cap’s winner at Dundee took him to 45 goals in 100 games
- Only Boyd, Morelos and Arveladze have better record
Cyriel Dessers has offered a spirited defence of his record at Rangers and spoken of his pride at now being up there with some of the club’s best-known strikers of the modern era.
With the Nigeria international taking his tally to 45 goals in 100 games with a dramatic stoppage-time winner in Saturday’s 4-3 triumph at Dundee, only Kris Boyd, Alfredo Morelos and Shota Arveladze scored more before hitting a century of appearances.
Dessers knows he has his critics — he had 11 efforts at goal before scoring at the weekend — but admits being up there with those big characters is something to cherish.
‘When you say it like that, it makes me very proud. I had difficult times at this club, especially when I came in, but being among these names means you are doing something right,’ he said.
‘The people in the building see that. They know how hard I work in the gym, on the pitch, in the training, that’s the reward. These are big names in the history of this club.
‘It has been two hard years for everyone — players, staff and fans — with a lot of ups and downs. We’ve had some lovely moments in Europe and won a League Cup, but we didn’t get the big prize last season.
Dessers celebrates his landmark winner at Dens Park
Rangers boss Ferguson congratulates his matchwinning striker
Dessers’ scoring tally is up there with that of Ibrox icon Morelos
‘When you don’t win the league at Rangers, you get some stick, but to hear that, on a personal level, fills me with pride.
‘If you can arrive at a big club and get 20-plus goals in your first season, I think you are doing your job.
‘Obviously, I want more, the gaffer wants more, the fans want more, so I am working hard for that every day. But we still have some important games this season and I hope I can add a few more.
‘I have scored 45 goals in 100 games, but, if you look at the starts or the minutes I’ve had, those are very nice stats.’
Dessers admits, however, that interim boss Barry Ferguson was back dishing out the hairdryer treatment at Dens Park after his side had come in at the half-time interval 2-1 behind.
In five of their last seven games, Rangers have gone two goals behind and that is something the striker knows cannot continue.
‘I think all of you can imagine something of what happened at half-time,’ said Dessers.
‘But there is always time and a moment to do that — and I think that was the time and the moment.
‘He [Ferguson] capped it off, though, by saying: “Hey, guys. We are still in the game and there’s still 45 minutes to play”.
‘We showed a lot of character, but it would be nice to win these games more comfortably rather than having to fight and keep believing until the last minute.’
