Leon Balogun has strongly defended his Rangers teammate Cyriel Dessers, who has been the subject of unfair criticism from some of the club’s supporters. With an impressive tally of 16 goals in 33 appearances this season, Balogun calls the whistles on Dessers “extremely disrespectful”.
During an interview on the Counter Attack podcast, Balogun lamented the negative atmosphere surrounding the attacker, emphasizing that it is not acceptable to lose patience to the point of whistling. “We’ve seen this before here, where a player walks onto the pitch and is booed, or gets a sarcastic handful of applause on the way out. I don’t condone that in any way,” he said passionately.
He continued, “You can have your opinions on a player’s performance, but it is crucial to recognize the effort they are putting in. Whistling is a sign of disrespect, especially towards someone who is giving their all on the pitch. Although you can criticize the quality of a player, the way in which the criticism is expressed is immensely important. There are limits, and whistling is unacceptable behavior.
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Balogun expressed deep admiration for Dessers’ character, recognizing the unique challenges he faced. “He’s a great guy. The way he handled his situation shows exceptional courage. He faced difficult times that no player should have to endure. I have real respect for the way he responded. “
-The defender also noted that the entire team supported Dessers. “You could see the joy among the players after he scored. We all understand he has struggled but he continues to work hard in training. His recent performances including a crucial goal against Aberdeen and a hat-trick in the Scottish Cup against Fraserburgh, highlighted his talent.”
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Reflecting on the whistle incident during the second-half substitution against Aberdeen, Balogun recalled his immediate reaction with teammate Nico Raskin. “We went straight to confront the situation because we felt it was unjustified. Ultimately, while frustrations with performance are understandable, the method of expression must be considered. The goal is that “He scores, and that requires support, not hostility.”
Balogun reminded supporters that the focus must be on supporting the players, especially as Rangers aim for success. He concluded, “If you know a player is going to do it again, it is in everyone’s best interest to foster an environment that supports performance and morale going forward. This is not a criticism of every supporter, It’s a call to reflect on how we express our feelings.”
