Jack Butland was linked with a return to Birmingham City earlier this season, but he seems to be settling down under new Rangers manager Philippe Clement
Jack Butland, the former Birmingham City goalkeeper, is loving life under new Rangers manager Philippe Clement following links with a potential return to Blues earlier this season.
Butland has kept 11 clean sheets in 21 appearances since moving north to Ibrox in the summer, but he was linked with a return to St Andrew’s shortly after Wayne Rooney was named as John Eustace’s managerial successor at Blues. Butland is a Blues academy product who broke into the starting XI but who was sold to Stoke City in January 2013 having made just 29 first-team appearances at that stage.Before joining Crystal Palace in 2020, the 30-year-old made more than 150 appearances for Stoke. However, following a brief loan to Manchester United, he became a free agent and left Selhurst Park in the summer to sign with the Gers. Since then, Clement has taken over for his original employer, Michael Beale, in Glasgow, and Butland is impressed with his influence.
“He’s inviting everyone inside.” Butland stated, “There are situations when people feel as though they are being punished by the outdated notions of running absurd distances. He has made it clear that doing extra running is not a punishment; rather, it is meant to raise you up to the level of the guys who are putting in those numbers every week. As a result, he will call on those individuals when the opportunity arises because we will need to throughout the season because they are up to par and not a yard off.
When he said it that way, it doesn’t mean that you’re running because you’re not good enough at something or fit enough; rather, it means that you’re working harder to reach the necessary levels. The guys are in favour of it since it benefits everyone. Those individuals indicate that they are prepared, and every player on the team and in the club is prepared to play when needed.
“He’s made everything clear and unambiguous; he’s streamlined things. On certain occasions, whether it be with fitness or something else entirely, he has mentioned wanting to improve certain things and aspects. He has also made sure to follow up with us to explain and justify his reasons for making us perform a certain way or do certain things.
“I believe the boys understand what’s expected of them, and he’s included everyone, so there are no grey areas. We’ve seen that it’s kind of coming together in a short amount of time. However, given the manager’s and our unwavering perseverance, we have a lot of work ahead of us and must make a conscious effort every day to keep improving and getting better. Though there is always more work to be done, I believe we have made great progress towards becoming the team we want to be.
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