Rangers: Ferguson insists Jack Butland will be ‘disappointed’ after new Ibrox development
Barry Ferguson has insisted Jack Butland will be disappointed after being left out of the latest England squad despite his form for Rangers at Ibrox this season.
It had been widely rumoured that the goalkeeper could be in line for a return to Gareth Southgate’s squad but was ultimately left out in a blow to his chances of going to the European Championships.
With Everton’s Jordan Pickford, Crystal Palace’s Sam Johnstone and Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsdale all picked ahead of Butland, Ferguson insists the Rangers stopper is the best of the bunch.
Speaking on the Go Radio Football Show [18 March], Ferguson insisted: “He must be really disappointed he didn’t get into that England squad. I’m not just saying that because he’s Rangers’ goalkeeper.
“I look at the three goalkeepers, I know Pickford is the number one, Sam Johnstone and Ramsdale. I personally think he’s as good as them, if not better.
“He just needs to get his head down and work hard, and hopefully try to get into that squad for the Euros, but it doesn’t look like it. I thought this was his chance to go in and showcase what he’s done this season.”
Should Jack Butland go to the European Championships?
With the England squad for the upcoming friendlies against Belgium and Brazil the final one before the Euros in Germany this summer, it was seen as an opportunity for Butland to stake a claim to a place given his impressive spell at Ibrox.
This has come after weeks of speculation surrounding the goalkeeper, who confessed he had met with Southgate when the squad travelled to Auchenhowie ahead of their friendly clash with Scotland months ago.
Speculation mounted about Arsenal’s Ramsdale due to the fact the goalkeeper has not received regular minutes at the Emirates while Butland has been playing in Europe, but that seems to have had no impact on Southgate’s thinking.
Ally McCoist recently shared his admiration for the Ibrox goalkeeper, who he insisted will be crucial if they go on to win the SPFL title this season, so perhaps his focus on the remaining fixtures in Scotland will be a boost to the title challenge.
In other Rangers news, Chris Jack named nine players that could quit Ibrox this summer.
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