Celtic’s League Cup triumph over Rangers continues to create headlines and this week all attention is on Cyriel Dessers’s bizarre move of skipping a penalty in the shoot-out. Rangers striker Eamonn has come under a lot of critics for refusing to take a penalty as many people have considered it a sign of a lack of bottle.
The former Hibernian player Tam McManus was unkind to Dessers as he said that the decision to start was a sure sign that he did not believe in himself. McManus when asked about the match, said ‘I was shocked when I realized Jack Butland is approaching for a penalty kick’. ‘For a striker to allow anyobby goalkeeper to take a penalty before he gets a chance is embarrassing. It shows a real lack of bottle.”
Equally in support of McManus, many Rangers fans have particularly used their social networks to air their disappointment and disgust regarding the decision made by Dessers. The striker, however, has earned criticism for hesitance in volúntarily taking a penalty which tests his character and psychological attribute of a player.
However, the optimism of Jack Butland’s confidence and technique impressed many especially Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel agreed that Butland’s penalty was brilliant. Schmeichel made comments filled with an element of disbelief because Butland is a goalkeeper and therefore is not expected to take penalty kicks.
As the fallout from the League Cup final continues to dominate the headlines, one thing is clear: Arguably, the headlines for a very long time will forever be cyriel dessers that refused to take the penalty. Whether he can come back from this set back again remains to be seen but what is clearly however, the Rangers striker is now under tremendous pressure to perform.