Former Everton player Steven Naismith has expressed his dissatisfaction with Rangers manager Philippe Clement’s decision to leave Nigerian striker Cyril Dessers on the bench during the Scottish Premiership clash against St Johnstone.
Clement opted to field Moroccan forward Hamza rather than Dessers in the recent fixtures against St Johnstone and Nice in the Europa League.
Naismith, speaking in an interview with BBC UK through Sportscene, questioned the manager’s decision, advocating for Dessers to be reinstated as the team’s primary striker.
“That’s probably the biggest frustration for the manager,” Naismith remarked, referring to the ongoing striker dilemma at Rangers.
“He’s got three strikers with slightly different profiles. For any Rangers striker, consistency is key. Over the years, goalscorers who score regularly or have a hand in goals are valuable.”
Naismith went on to acknowledge that despite some recent criticism, Dessers has been the most consistent of Rangers’ forward options.
“Dessers has been the most consistent, although he’s had some criticism of late,” he explained.
“Clement is looking for that striker who will stand out by scoring regularly and making it easier for Rangers to perform.”
The debate over Dessers’ role in the starting lineup has sparked ongoing discussion among fans and pundits alike, with many supporting Naismith’s view that the Super Eagles forward’s consistency could prove crucial for the team moving forward.
The 28-year-old striker has shown flashes of his ability in previous outings, but with competition for spots in the starting XI intensifying, his future role under Clement remains a topic of much speculation.
