Jack Butland incident needs to be ‘outlawed’ after crazy Rangers scenes
Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland clattering into St Mirren’s Greg Kiltie is the sort of challenge that needs to be “outlawed”, according to former FIFA official Keith Hackett.
Butland, 31, gave away a penalty after racing off of his line and completely wiping out the Buddies winger with Oisin Smyth opening the scoring from the spot as the Gers succumbed to a shock 2-1 defeat.
However, the former Stoke City and Manchester United keeper was not shown a red card by referee David Dickinson despite absolutely wiping out his opponent.
Former PGMOL chief Hackett said Kiltie’s reaction may have saved Butland but thinks there needs to be a rule change to punish such offences from goalies moving forward.
Speaking exclusively to Ibrox News, Hackett reacted to the footage on Premier Sports (26 December), b saying: “It’s a crazy challenge by the goalkeeper and he could easily have seen red for an act of Serious Foul Play.
“It was excessive force, it endangered the safety of his opponent for sure. The fact that his opponent did not roll about in agony helped Butland.
“However, that type of challenge must be outlawed for the players’ safety.”
Jack Butland incident called out as Rangers lose to St Mirren
Butland was certainly not the only one guilty of underperforming as Rangers succumbed to a hugely disappointing defeat that leaves them 12 points adrift of Celtic in the Scottish Premiership.
But it was a moment that left Philippe Clement’s men on the backfoot and, even though Danilo equalised, Dujon Sterling’s error was punished by a last-gasp winner from Caolan Boyd-Munce.
The situation could have been worse had Dickinson decided to give Butland his marching orders and on a different day he definitely could have seen red.
As it was, on this occasion, he decided to err – literally – on the side of caution and only produce a yellow card, but it was certainly a reckless moment.
In other Rangers news, a transfer update has emerged on a new defender ahead of the January window.
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