Raging Rangers hero Barry Ferguson cannot fathom why Gareth Southgate hasn’t recalled Ibrox goalkeeper Jack Butland to the England squad.
Butland has been arguably the Light Blues’ best player this season after signing for free in the summer from Crystal Palace.
The 30-year-old has kept 17 clean sheets in the Scottish Premiership so far this term [FotMob] and has been tipped to be nominated for a Player of the Year award in Scotland by Kenny Miller.
There’s no doubting Butland’s influence on where Rangers are sitting in the league table at the moment and it was widely reported on Thursday that the Englishman would be called back into the international fold for the first time since September 2018.
However, Southgate ignored Butland and instead opted for Jordan Pickford, Aaron Ramsdale and Sam Johnstone. England face friendlies against Belgium and Brazil throughout the upcoming international break.
And that has left Barry Ferguson reeling with rage. The former Ibrox captain just cannot understand what Southgate is thinking and believes the Butland snub is a huge ‘slap in the face’ for the Scottish game.
Barry Ferguson blasts Gareth Southgate
Ferguson, who was capped 45 times for Scotland, laid into Southgate in an exclusive Daily Record interview and argued why Butland is a shoe-in for representing England once again.
“I was watching the announcement and I couldn’t believe it – and I’m not just saying this because he’s the Rangers goalkeeper.
“I honestly don’t know what to say. The keepers that were picked in front of him, yes, they’re good keepers. But are they better than Jack Butland? I don’t think so.
“It cracks me up. It’s a slap in the face for Scottish football. Why hasn’t he made that squad – because he’s playing up here?
“I keep saying to people, Jack Butland might not have to make 10, 12 or 15 saves during a game and certainly not when Rangers are playing at Ibrox.
“But if he’s only having to make one or two saves during 90 minutes it means his concentration levels are sky high. That tells me the guy is focussed and tuned right in.
“So when I saw that squad I thought, ‘Typical!’. It just shows the disregard they have for our game. What they don’t realise is the pressure he’s playing under in every single game.
“As a Rangers keeper you’re expected to win every game and produce the goods up here. He’s under more pressure than any of the other keepers in that squad.
“Just look at the way he has handled that and the saves he’s come up with. Butland is better than the keepers they have picked and I’d go as far as to say he’s better than England’s current No.1.
“He must be thinking to himself, ‘What do I have to do here?’.”
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