Soccer Football - Scottish Cup - Final - Celtic v Rangers - Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain - May 25, 2024 Celtic's Adam Idah scores their first goal REUTERS/Russell Cheyne
Jack Butland has delivered the time honoured title warning to Celtic.
The former Crystal Palace reserve loves listening to his own voice especially as he answers questions from the adoring Scottish media pack.
Back in March he was under the impression that he was on the brink of an England call up, these days he has newly promoted Dundee United breathing down his neck in the battle for third place in the SPFL Premiership.
Butland has happily bought into the myth that he is playing for a huge club that expects success despite a trophy count of three in 12 years with James Tavernier picking up a massive collection of runners-up medals.
The expectations of the fans and media suffocate any prospect of a title challenging side emerging from Ibrox but the illusion has to be maintained despite fans walking away in their thousands.
Butland was in fine form as he served up the post match cliches following the 1-1 draw at home to Dundee United.
Asked about challenging for the title he said:
People might not think that – but you won’t catch us not thinking that. The reality, we know what it looks like. We know we need to perform better if we want to be in a title race.
By no means are we out of it, but we’ve given ourselves way too much to do at this point. We need to start closing that gap and performances like that aren’t going to help us
With two matches against Celtic in the next six weeks Butland will soon have the opportunity to do some talking on the park rather than delivering soothing soundbites.
Having taken the captaincy from Tavernier the never modest Butland could soon be eyeing up Phil Clement’s job as pressure mounts on the former Monaco boss.
Sevco’s fixture list for the next month is the equivalent of getting off your stool for the start of the 4th round of a boxing match with your eyes closing over, your arms feeling heavier, your legs a bit wobbly and desperately hoping the nearest hospital is a good one – their only hope now is an outbreak of unbelievable honest mistakes in the League Cup Final, which can’t be ruled out of course….
I admire his lack of common sense and goalkeeping skills
English is clearly not Buttwipe’s first language.
Nor is analytic thought one of his talents.
All sevco is doing is creating another ‘Tavernier’ problem, for further down the line.
An average player, who is constantly – and obsequiously – talked up by the SMSM.
An average player who is overpaid and on a long contract.
A player which no other club is interested in buying.
An average player who as captain (and now goalkeeper) is mostly undroppable – even when off form.
An – eventually – unwanted player who will hang on desperately to his last big contract – and maybe for a Testimonial too?! I
Give it what, 4 years?, and Butland could get the TavPen treatment,
or earlier, if the next manager doesn’t rate the ex-Engerlund keeper?
And unless they’re a Zoff or Casillas, you know even as an amateur player
goalkeepers shouldn’t be captains. (Keepers tend to be a bit ‘out there’ to start with!)
sevco knows better I suppose…? 🙂
Butland does his talking in well… Butland (as in arse area) = SHITE !