Glasgow Rangers have not won a single trophy since they won the Scottish League Cup in December 2023, and have not won the Scottish Premiership since the 2020/21 campaign.
It is understandable, therefore, that there is a lot of pent-up frustration within the fanbase that has been building and building in recent years, due to the decisions made by the club on managers and players.
Derek McInnes has faced praise and criticism for his management of the team this season, and players have had similar experiences with the fanbase, because football can be a subjective sport and everyone has a different opinion.
One recent Rangers player who truly polarised the fanbase was centre-forward Cyriel Dessers, who left some supporters loving him and other supporters frustrated by him.
How Cyriel Dessers polarised the Rangers fanbase
The Nigeria international should have been a fan favourite at Ibrox if you take his numbers at face value. He scored 52 goals and provided 17 assists in 116 matches in all competitions for the club.
Dessers even scored 29 goals in 55 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants in the 2024/25 campaign, yet he was still unable to win over all the fanbase.
However, the eye test did not match the statistics. Whilst the striker deserves credit for the goals that he did score, supporters were left frustrated by the number of chances that went begging with him in front of goal.
|
Dessers at Rangers |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Premiership + Europa League |
23/24 |
24/25 |
|
Appearances |
42 |
47 |
|
Goals |
17 |
21 |
|
Big chances missed |
27 |
30 |
|
Big chances created |
8 |
4 |
|
Assists |
5 |
4 |
|
Duel success rate |
31% |
35% |
Dessers missed a staggering 57 ‘big chances’ in the Premiership and Europa League combined in his two seasons at Ibrox, which illustrates just how wasteful he was in front of goal.
His duel success rate also shows that he was too easy to get the better of in physical battles, as he struggled with his general play alongside his woes as a finisher.
Rangers have found their new Cyriel Dessers
The Nigerian centre-forward was divisive because the all-round performances did not mirror his output, and the Gers now have a player who is just as divisive, but for the opposite reason.
In the summer transfer window, the Light Blues swooped to sign Min-su Kim from Spanish side Girona for an eye-catching fee of £8.5m to bolster their attacking midfield ranks.
The 20-year-old talent arrived at Ibrox as a star with huge potential, given his age, whilst also having the quality to make an impact in the short-term.
He has been the club’s most divisive figure since Dessers left in the summer of 2025, though, because he has yet to deliver a single goal or assist for the Scottish giants.
The South Korean winger, who can play on either flank or through the middle as a number ten, has failed to score or assist any goals in his first 11 appearances for the club in all competitions.
That lack of output in the final third, as an attacking player, has naturally drawn criticism from some sections of the fanbase, as they want to see the club’s attackers score goals and provide assists on a regular basis.
|
26/27 Premiership |
Min-su Kim |
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
9 |
|
xG |
2.58 |
|
Goals |
0 |
|
Key passes per game |
2.1 |
|
Big chances created |
3 |
|
xA |
1.27 |
|
Assists |
0 |
|
Successful dribbles per game |
1.8 |
However, some supporters have seen how impressive his general play has been and are not as bothered by the lack of output at this point in this season, as he has averaged 2.1 key passes per game and created three ‘big chances’ for the side.
Kim averages the most shots (3.2) and the most chances created (2.1) per game in the league for Rangers this season, which shows that he is making things happen in the final third, but he just needs a shot to go his way or a teammate to finish a chance he creates.
South Korean content creator Joel Kim noted that the forward has “hit the wall” from a physical perspective after the 1-0 win over Aberdeen on Saturday, and that he needs a break from the starting line-up to recharge.
The 20-year-old talent has been working his socks off for the team when he has played, so it makes sense that he may need a game or two on the bench to get back to his best, but that does not mean that he should be dropped for good.
Kim has been a divisive player, due to his lack of goal contributions in the final third, but his underlying numbers in the league suggest that it is only a matter of time before the goals and assists flow for him.
