Latest news with #Butland
Scottish Sun
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Barry Ferguson opens up on ‘tough' Rangers moment as he admits ‘you could see he was hurting'
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) BARRY FERGUSON had his fair share of big decisions to make during his stint as Rangers manager. Now, he's opened up on the one that could've been the toughest of them all. Sign up for the Rangers newsletter Sign up 4 Barry Ferguson has been opening up on his time in charge of Rangers Credit: PA 4 Ferguson dropped Jack Butland Credit: Willie Vass 4 Butland was benched in favour of Liam Kelly for the clash with Athletic Bilbao Credit: EPA Rangers legend Ferguson was made interim boss at the end of February in the wake of Philippe Clement's sacking. European competition brought some joy with Ferguson leading the Gers to the Europa League quarter-finals, memorable dispatching Jose Mourinho's Fenerbahce in the process. But domestically, he failed to oversee an upturn in fortune ant the Light Blues wound up finishing 17 points behind champions Celtic when all was said and done. Ferguson, 47, had made no secret his desire to take on the job on a permanent basis. But as the search for a new boss reached its endgame, Ferguson was informed he was no longer in the running. Instead, a complete overhaul at Ibrox has taken place, with the new American owners installing a new manager - Russell Martin. As Martin prepares to take charge of his first competitive game in charge, Ferguson has been opening up on his time in the dugout. The former Gers skipper has taken up his previous ambassadorial role with the club again and has now also made his punditry return on Go Radio, having previously worked at the station prior to his Light Blues boss appointment. Ferguson says "he loved every minute" of his time in charge, but has also lifted the lid on some of the tougher decisions he had to make. Arguably the biggest of those was benching Jack Butland. Barry Ferguson shrugs off Philippe Clement war of words as he hails Jose Mourinho as 'top class manager' The former England keeper had been the undisputed Rangers No1 since arriving from Crystal Palace in the summer of 2023. After a stellar first season at Ibrox, his form dipped during the course of the last campaign with regular errors creeping in. Ferguson made the dramatic decision to bench Butland for the crunch Europa League quarter-final against Athletic Bilbao at Ibrox in April. That was despite Butland having been the penalty shoot-out hero in the previous round against Fenerbahce. Liam Kelly started and saved a penalty to preserve a 0-0 draw for 10-man Gers on the night. After more than a month out of the team, Butland was installed back into the starting XI for the final two league matches of the season against Dundee United and Hibs. Ferguson has now lifted the lid on what it was like to tell Butland he was going to be taken out of the starting XI. Admitting it was a difficult thing to do, he revealed he could tell Butland was 'hurting'. Ferguson said: "The Kilmarnock game, for instance, I had to change (Clinton) Nsiala. "And then obviously the big one (Butland), a lot of people were talking about it, people think it's easy to make these decision. "I don't like saying 'dropped', I had to make a change. "It was tough because I like Jack Butland, I had a really good, strong relationship with him. I think he's a top goalkeeper as well. "I just felt it was time to take him out the limelight a wee bit, just to let him recover." Fellow pundit Charlie Mulgrew then asked: "How did you do it?" Ferguson responded: "I pulled him in, I think that's the best way to look eye to eye, eyeball to eyeball. That's the way I like to do things. I did it. "It was tough, it was hard to do. You could see Jack was hurting. 4 "I always had the intention to bring Jack back. I brought Liam (Kelly) in, Liam did brilliant for me. "You could see as the weeks were going on, Jack was starting to get a wee bit of confidence back. "What I will say about Jack is that he trained brilliantly, he was a brilliant support for Kels. "It's easy to spit the dummy out and say 'you know what, I'm not playing' but he was a brilliant support, trained really well. "I brought him in the last couple of games of the season and you could see he was back to the Jack we saw the first season because he was top class." Have YOU got a point for Kris Boyd? Kris Boyd and Roger Hannah chew over the big talking points each week SOMETHING you've just got to get off your chest from the weekend action? A burning Scottish football talking point you can't wait to bring up with Kris Boyd and Roger Hannah? SunSport's GoBallistic show wants to hear from you! So why not help set the Scottish football agenda for the week ahead! Have your say on the game's big topics by emailing us on: GoBallistic@ It's YOUR turn to Go Ballistic! Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
Daily Record
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Celtic transfer panic is silly claims Jury as super Jack Butland no more at Rangers met head on
Celtic went down in their bounce game against Estrela, should Hoops fans be concerned about their squad at this stage? KEITH JACKSON: Don't be silly. They're going into next season on the back of a second consecutive league and cup double. The squad doesn't need an overhaul but Brendan Rodgers will want to make one or two tweaks to his starting XI. Kieran Tierney is a good start but the manager will have his eye on a left sided centre half, a couple of wingers and an oven ready striker. CRAIG SWAN: It's the same old issues. Celtic will have eyes on big targets, but the market for these guys doesn't get into full swing until later. It's not a new problem. Concerned? Maybe. Panicky? Surely not. MICHAEL GANNON: It's too soon to be hitting any panic button but there is a lot of work to be done with this Hoops squad. Time is on their side but they will need to ramp it up and bring in two or three oven ready recruits. RYAN MCDONALD: The result means diddly-squat. But Celtic need to get new faces in the door sharp to allow them to bed in ahead of the Champions League play-offs. Replacements for Kyogo and Nicolas Kuhn should be top of the list, plus a new centre-back. Should Jack Butland start the season as Rangers no.1? KEITH: Yes. Butland was a bit bruised after a dip in form last season but if he's back to his best he's a game changer of a keeper. The only question is, is he good enough with the ball at his feet to fit into Russell Martin 's style of play? CRAIG: Jack Butland is a top-class goalkeeper at his best and, following a summer refresh, he can prove he's the best option. MICHAEL: Butland had a bit of a ropey time of it last season but he's still a top keeper. He deserves to get the nod and remain in place for now – but he'll need to cut out the daft errors that have plagued him in the last 12 months. RYAN: The short answer is yes. He'll be given a clean slate by Russell Martin, just like the rest of the squad. Butland has probably lost the faith of most Rangers fans and will know he has a point to prove. He can't afford to have any early season howlers, especially in the European qualifiers. Are Rangers be ready to take on Panathinaikos next week? KEITH: They're going to have to get a lot of work done on the training ground and Russell Martin will also have to be busy in the transfer market before the Greeks come to town. Getting the Conor Coady deal over the line will give him a better chance but either way qualification already looks like a tall order. CRAIG: It's always early in the season to face these games and Rangers are going to find it tough to get to full speed. They'll need to play well. MICHAEL: Gers look a tad undercooked, but it was always going to be the case. This qualifier is a dangerous tie and it may be too soon for Russell Martin. If he can pull it off it would be a remarkable achievement, but not many would expect or demand it. RYAN: It's far from ideal that these qualifiers come in July. But you need to give credit to Rangers. They've recognised that there's no time to lose and have seven new signings in the door already. How quickly they gel together remains to be seen, but they are clearly mindful of the huge challenge ahead. Is it time to bring Trump Turnberry back in the frame to host the Open Championship KEITH: Probably. He may be a threat to the world order and his hair is an absolute disgrace but big POTUS knows what a good golf course looks like. And Turnberry is very possibly as good as it gets. CRAIG: The course is terrific. But The R&A insist the infrastructure is not there in other aspects and it's hard to see a return unless that changes. MICHAEL: There are the traditional troubles with infrastructure at Turnberry, but, let's face it, the R&A don't want the hassle attached to the name above the door on the place. We might need to wait until after he's departed the White House before it's back on the agenda.
Daily Record
13-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Jack Butland warned Rangers transfer needle hasn't shifted on new keeper as Russell Martin reveals ideal scenario
Butland is rediscovering his mojo after being dropped last season but new boss hasn't ruled out further competition between the sticks Russell Martin reckons Jack Butland has rediscovered his missing mojo - but hasn't ruled out signing another keeper to challenge the Ibrox No1. Former England stopper Butland was a major success in his first campaign with the club but saw his form crash last term with a string of high-profile howlers. The 31-year-old's dramatic drop off eventually led to him being dropped by interim gaffer Barry Ferguson, with Liam Kelly handed the gloves for the final few weeks of the season. Martin is now the man in charge at Ibrox and faces a huge call next week when he must decide which of the two he starts in goal for the club's crucial Champions League qualifier with Panathinaikos. But the new Rangers boss admits he could yet look else to fill the slot between the sticks amid rumours he's weighing up a loan move for 24-year-old Brighton goalkeeper Carl Rushworth. He said: 'I think you need to have two good goalkeepers, ideally three at a club like this. So I think it's the same as any position. We'll keep assessing what they can do, what they can't do. 'We have two good goalkeepers, we're fortunate with that. But if there's someone who's desperate to play here and we think can help us, it's the same at any position - as long as it doesn't affect other things in the balance of the squad, then we'll always look to it. 'But at the minute I've been happy with them two guys.' Butland started Saturday's closed-door friendly against Barnsley at St George's Park in Burton, keeping a clean sheet during his 60-minute run-out in the 1-1 draw. And Martin has liked what he's seen from the former Stoke, Crystal Palace and Manchester United shot-stopper. He said: 'I wasn't here before, so I can't tell you where he was and where he is now. "What I've seen is a guy that really believes in himself, has made some outstanding saves in training, is willing to do the stuff we're asking him to do with the ball to his feet, as is Liam. "So they've been great, both of them.' Martin has beefed up his backroom appointment with the addition of former Arsenal goalie coach Salvatore Bibbo and ex-Carlisle boss Mike Williamson, who has been appointed first team coach at Rangers. He said: 'I'm really happy to have both guys on board. 'I think a lot of challenge, a lot of honesty, a lot of skills with the people we've brought in, different skill sets. 'I think Mike's going to primarily focus on set-pieces, and the transition side of the game, and really focus on that, and nail that down. He's someone who I've known and trusted for a very, very long time. 'But he's also been a manager, so he understands. We'll be at a different level, but I think once you've been a manager, you have an understanding of what it takes. 'And we're aligned in a lot of things, in terms of values, standards, but also think very differently. 'Mike's very different to most people I've met in football, so I think he was an important one for us. So I'm really glad the club have supported us with that. 'And Sal's just come with a fantastic reputation. Every goalkeeper he's worked with, I've spoke to a lot actually, and a lot of people, staff members he's worked with. 'And in football it's hard to get everyone to say you're a good person, good at your job, but everyone did without him. So I've been delighted with what I've seen from Sal already.'
Scottish Sun
13-07-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Rangers boss Russell Martin refuses to rule out signing new goalkeeper as he breaks silence amid Butland uncertainty
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) RUSSELL MARTIN has refused to rule out the arrival of a new Rangers goalkeeper this summer. The Gers boss was last week linked with a move for Brighton understudy Carl Rushworth. Sign up for the Rangers newsletter Sign up 4 Russell Martin could add to his goalkeeping ranks Credit: Willie Vass 4 Jack Butland lost his place as Rangers No1 during the course of last season Credit: PA 4 Liam Kelly replaced Butland under Barry Ferguson's management Credit: Willie Vass While that deal won't happen, Martin is in the market for a shot stopper as he seeks to provide competition for Jack Butland and Liam Kelly. Both players have impressed during pre-season, but it remains an area Martin is keen to strengthen. The Ibrox gaffer insisted: 'I think you need to have two good goalkeepers, ideally three at a club like this. 'I think it's the same as any position. 'We'll keep assessing what they can do, what they can't do. 'We have two good goalkeepers, we're fortunate with that. 'But if there's someone who's desperate to play here and we think they can help us, it's the same at any position. 'As long as it doesn't affect other things in the balance of the squad, then we'll always look to it. 'But at the minute I've been happy with the two guys.' Butland - who has two years left on his current Ibrox contract - endured a frustrating season. Rangers boss Russell Martin opens up on transfer plans as he delivers updates on Dessers and Igamane It led to interim boss Barry Ferguson axing him ahead of Gers' Europa League quarter-final clash against Atletico Bilbao. While he regained his place towards the end of the campaign, the Ibrox No1 jersey is no longer assured. Yet Martin is pleased with Butland's response since taking charge. He said: 'I wasn't here before, so I can't tell you where he was and where he is now. 'What I've seen is a guy that really believes in himself, has made some outstanding saves in training, is willing to do the stuff we're asking him to do with the ball to his feet, as is Liam. 'So they've been great, both of them.' Other players have caught Martin's eye during pre-season. While the Gers boss has made six signings, he's been impressed by some of the youngsters bidding to make the breakthrough. More new faces will arrive before the start of the new season, but last night Martin stressed: 'Josh Gentles is a great, really outstanding young player, but physically has a lot of work to do because he's only 17. Zander Hutton is a great kid, willing to learn. 'Finlay Curtis has been really outstanding. 'I don't want to put too much pressure on these guys because they're so young, but they've been really, really good. I've been really impressed with them. 'I think it's all about habits. 'The first couple of weeks have all been about instilling some good habits and some principles that are going to be, whatever formation we play, are going to be so important, always important. 'Whether it's the first minute, the last minute, we're home, away, Europe, the league. 4 'So I think it's been about trying to instil some good habits and make sure that does become a habit for us. I think you need a plan with the ball and everything needs to have a why. 'The lads are really understanding that purpose. 'There'll be times for us to play really quickly and really aggressively. 'There'll be times for us to be patient but never slow. It's about being calm but quick. 'And the ball has to travel quickly because the ball travels faster than any player can. 'I think they're starting to really understand that now. ' Martin is working hard to get his message and methods across in pre-season. It's just two weeks until Gers face Panathinaikos in that crunch Champions League qualifier. He said: 'I think if we can convince someone they have to understand why they're doing it and what the benefit is to them individually, in their unit, as a group, as a team. 'Myself included, if I try and explain to the players they're not happy with it and they find a better solution, as long as they explain to me why it's better for them, then we can always come to a good conclusion. 'So at the minute it's a bit of a monologue. I'm talking a lot to them. 'Us as staff are talking a lot at them and to them with detail. 'And eventually it becomes a big dialogue and I think that'll be really important. 'But right now they just have to understand this is why we're doing it. 'Hopefully we give them that clarity and then after that we'll find some more solutions together.' While Martin is happy with how his squad is shaping up, he's also delighted with how his backroom staff now looks. Set-piece specialist Mike Williamson and goalkeeping coach Sal Bibbo were added a fortnight ago and last night Martin said: 'I think Mike's going to primarily focus on set-pieces, the transition side of the game and nail that down. 'He's someone who I've known and trusted for a very, very long time. 'But also very good, he's been a manager, so he understands. 'We'll be at a different level, but I think once you've been a manager, you have an understanding of what it takes and we're aligned in a lot of things,in terms of values, standards, but also we think very differently. 'Mike's very different to most people I've met in football, so I think he was an important one for us. 'I'm really glad the club have supported us with that. 'And Sal's just come with a fantastic reputation. 'Every goalkeeper he's worked with, I've spoken to a lot actually, and a lot of people, staff members he's worked with. 'And in football it's hard to get everyone to say you're a good person, good at your job, but everyone did with him.' Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
Scottish Sun
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Jack Butland's Rangers career on the brink as Gers eye Rushworth and ponder alternative options before Panathinaikos tie
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) JACK BUTLAND'S Rangers career is hanging in the balance as Russell Martin looks to land a new No 1. The Ibrox boss had targeted Brighton's Carl Rushworth for a season-long loan deal after working with the 24-year-old in a previous spell at Swansea. Sign up for the Rangers newsletter Sign up 3 Jack Butland during the pre-season friendly 3 Matt Gill with Russell Martin, Rangers SunSport understands that move now looks unlikely, with the ex-England Under-21 cap considering options elsewhere and the Seagulls offering him a new contract. But Martin is looking at other loan alternatives just 11 days before the first leg of their Champions League qualifier with Greek side Panathinaikos. And that casts a big question mark over ormer England cap Butland. The 32-year-old is halfway through a four-year contract and is one of the highest paid players in the Gers squad. Just 12 months ago, then manager Philippe Clement claimed Butland was the only player at Ibrox not for sale. But his form tumbled after an impressive debut season and caretaker boss Barry Ferguson dropped him for Liam Kelly at the end of last season, including both legs against Athletic Bilbao in the Europa League. Butland and Kelly shared duties in Sunday's 2-2 friendly draw with Club Brugge at Ibrox and will do likewise in closed-doors games this week. It's believed highly-rated Rushworth had been eyed as a possible signing by Gers after Brighton knocked back a Championship loan bid. The keeper has already had loans at five clubs in his Seagulls' career, but has failed to shift Netherlands No 1 Bart Verbruggen. Rushworth is frustrated at a lack of Premier League opportunities and it's understood he will have a major say in his next loan and will only make a switch if he's guaranteed game time. Rangers boss Russell Martin opens up on transfer plans as he delivers updates on Dessers and Igamane Sheffield Wednesday's Northern Ireland No 1 Pierce Charles was also linked, but the Owls have hiked up the asking price. Emmanuel Fernandez, Nasser Djiga, Max Aarons, Lyall Cameron, Thelo Aasgaard and Joe Rothwell have already been signed and are working with their new team-mates at a pre-season camp at English FA training HQ St George's Park. They could be joined over the weekend by Wednesday winger Djeidi Gassama, who is closing on a £2.5million move. Martin will also step up his clear-out during the trip south, with Robin Propper understood to be close to a departure back to former club Twente Enschede. Meanwhile, Vaclav Cerny, who was on loan at Ibrox last season, is close to leaving German side Wolfsburg for Italian outfit Torino. 3 Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
