Barry Ferguson sends new warning to Rangers keeper Jack Butland
Barry Ferguson has sent a warning to new Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland on the required levels of concentration, as reported by the Daily Record.
The England international arrives from the Premier League where he was most recently a backup option for Manchester United, having been at Crystal Palace since 2020 but he has only featured in a small number of games in that time.
Ferguson has warned his former teammate that nothing he has seen will prepare him for the unique pressure in Glasgow, on the pitch and off it.
The treble-winning Rangers captain specifically pointed out the one-sided nature of domestic games in Scotland, which will test Butland’s capability.
“It comes down to concentration. I go back to the keepers I played with,” he said.
“A lot of times we dominated with 70 or 80 per cent of the play and the opposition would only get one or two opportunities.
“At Rangers, we might have been only one goal up on many occasions and suddenly the other team breaks and that’s when you need your goalie to keep that one shot out of the net. A free kick heading for the top corner and the keeper tipping it over the bar to keep you in front. It’s invaluable.
“Stefan Klos and Allan McGregor were the two I played with most in my career and their levels of concentration were fantastic. Those two stand out for me and that’s what you need to have when you play at Rangers. That’s one thing Jack might have to get used to.”
Learning curve
It will take some time for Butland to find form and hopefully, go on to reach a very high level for Rangers.
As he has featured in very little first-team action over the last three years, his mental and physical performance will come under scrutiny as he adapts to his new role.
Ferguson played with a then 17-year-old Butland, who was just breaking through at Birmingham City, whilst he also shared a dressing room with Joe Hart in the same season, who was on loan from Manchester City.
There are obvious parallels between the two, having lost their way somewhat, as well as losing their place in the England set-up. Hart has rejuvenated himself in Glasgow and that is the challenge for his compatriot.
He was also advised to get used to the ever-present winning mentality at Ibrox but it is an exciting prospect to see just how Butland fares, in the significant task of filling the void left by Allan McGregor.
In other Rangers news, Four Lads shares Ibrox exit verdicts with a £12m transfer windfall on the cards.