Boyd shares verdict on Jack Butland future after what has happened at Rangers
Jack Butland’s future at Rangers has come into question after recent performances.
Rangers have it all to play for against Athletic Bilbao tonight in the Europa League, having done remarkably well to stay in the game after the first leg, despite being reduced to ten men inside the first 15 minutes.
Robbin Propper’s sending off left the Light Blues in the lurch, but a valiant defensive display kept the La Liga outfit at bay, and Liam Kelly more than had his say in that.
The Rangers shotstopper saved a crucial penalty in the first leg, and with it looking likely that he will start the reverse fixture, his importance will not be understated once again.
Ferguson’s Butland decision unlikely to impact his future
After a nightmare display in the league encounter with Hibernian, Butland was dropped from the Rangers starting 11, with Kelly coming in to replace him.
Since then, the Light Blues haven’t looked back, with their second-choice keeper barely putting a foot wrong since his return, which has led to some questioning about where the future lies for Butland.
However, despite his recent omissions, Kris Boyd thinks that Butland still has more to come on Rangers when speaking via Sky Sports News (16 April, 10:30am).
When asked if Butland was done at Rangers, he said: “I don’t think he’s done. I think obviously Jack Butland has been through it, it’s a difficult period right now. He’s made a few mistakes, which is unlike him, you know, he’s a top goalkeeper, he’ll bounce back.
| Kelly vs Athletic Bilbao | |
| Rating | 9.2 |
| Saves | 3 |
| Penalty Saves | 1 |
“Every goalkeeper makes mistakes and obviously when they do, they’re highlighted more than outfield players as such, but I think for Jack Butland, he knows that if you’re not performing at a big club, then there’s the likelihood that you might lose your place.”
Of course, Butland has provided the goods at times for the Gers this season, but at such a crucial stage in the season, confidence will be key, and you can clearly see that his confidence has been shot after the recent errors made.
Rangers have a huge opportunity to cause an upset v Bilbao
Especially when taking into consideration the fact that they were down to ten men, very few anticipated that Rangers would still be in the game heading into the reverse fixture.
However, through hard work and determination, they certainly are, and if they can replicate some of their performances from Europe tonight, they have every chance of progressing into the semi-finals, which would be a huge achievement with all things considered.