Cyriel Dessers admits that Rangers must immediately start delivering if they to appease an increasingly angry fanbase.
Wednesday’s catastrophic loss at Pittodrie saw Philippe Clement’s side drop nine points behind Aberdeen and Celtic in the title race.
Having been eliminated from the Champions League at the outset of the campaign, and with little sign of progress on the park since then, the 2-1 loss saw visiting fans turn on the team and tell them exactly what they thought of their efforts at full-time.
Despite a dismal start to the season, which has also seen his side lose to Celtic and Kilmarnock while drawing with Hearts, Clement is set to take charge in Sunday’s League Cup semi-final against Motherwell at Hampden.
And striker Dessers insists the players have to win fans back onside with a display that’s markedly better than the one they produced in the Granite City.
‘Obviously they travelled all the way here to support us again so I can understand them,’ said the forward when asked about the anger that spilled over in the visiting section at time up.
A dejected Cyriel Dessers after Rangers fell nine points behind Aberdeen and Celtic
Clement and his team got a hostile reception as they applauded visiting fans after 2-1 loss
Clement and his crestfallen players troop off the pitch at Pittodrie on Wednesday
‘They want to see us win, they want to see us compete, they want to see us on the top of the table. We’re not there yet, and hopefully we can start fighting back now and give them something to be more happy about.
‘Obviously, it’s difficult to see their reactions, and that hurts. We know they’re hurting as well.
‘You don’t want to be in this situation, but right now we’re all in the same boat. We are Rangers, the fans are Rangers, we as a team, the staff all together, and we must stick together, no matter how difficult the times are.’
Shayden Morris scores the goal that condemned Rangers to 2-1 defeat
Morris celebrates his famous winner with Graeme Shinnie and team-mates
Clement and his team will aim to make immediate amends in cup semi final with Motherwell
Clement won the League Cup last year but, having surrendered the title from a favourable position, he is now under intense pressure after a dismal start to this season.
Asked if the squad owed the manager a big performance at Hampden, Dessers added: ‘I think we as a group, as players, we have that feeling, not only towards staff or people in the club, but also to the fans that are travelling here, that are showing up at all of our games. We need to bounce back, and I think we will.
‘It’s extremely difficult and painful. Obviously, it was a big game, so you arrive here with some expectations, and to walk off the pitch with a loss really hurt.’
Rangers are now in serious danger of finishing the season behind the resurgent Dons, with their hopes of winning the title fast diminishing.
Dessers insists the team can still come from behind, saying: ‘I think last year around this time we were in a similar situation, and I think by New Year we kind of closed the gap, and then later in the season we came back again, so it’s not impossible, but we will need to up our level in more games.
‘I’m sure we need to bounce back, and I’m sure we will bounce back.’
