‘I couldn’t believe it’ ‘Cracks me up’ ‘Slap in the face’ Furious Barry Ferguson launches Southgate attack

Barry Ferguson has launched a furious attack on Gareth Southgate after he snubbed England’s best goalkeeper.

Over the last month there has been a frenzy among the Scottish media to have Jack Butland included in the England squad for the friendlies against Belgium and Brazil.

It seems that a polite non-committal nod from Southgate about considering the former Crystal Palace reserve while at the draw for the Nations League grew arms and legs among the hard of thinking.

International managers will very rarely say no to any media suggestion of someone worth inclusion. They are entirely dependent on the supply from clubs, last season Fraser Forster was back in the England squad while getting a brief run of appearances for Spurs.

Rather than pour out his anger in his Daily Record column Fergie picked up the phone to Keith Jackson to let it all hang out:

I was watching the announcement and I couldn’t believe it – and I’m not just saying this because he’s the Rangers goalkeeper. I honestly don’t know what to say. The keepers that were picked in front of him, yes, they’re good keepers. But are they better than Jack Butland? I don’t think so.

It cracks me up. It’s a slap in the face for Scottish football. Why hasn’t he made that squad – because he’s playing up here? 

Butland is better than the keepers they have picked and I’d go as far as to say he’s better than England’s current No.1. He must be thinking to himself, ‘What do I have to do here?’.

Perhaps the answer to Ferguson’s question is to stop getting beaten at Ibrox by Aberdeen and Motherwell or to keep out Connor Goldson’s headers in Lisbon.

If Jordan Pickford and Aaron Ramsdale join Nick Pope in the treatment room Butland might get a call up. While they are capable of tieing their laces and pulling on their gloves the Ibrox hero will be stuck at Murray Park playing fives with Tav, Todd and the other leftovers during international breaks.