Jack Butland: After last season, I had to remind myself I'm a good keeper

Times

28-07-2025

Rangers' 2-0 first-leg win over Panathinaikos was an Ibrox introduction for a number of new players as well as the head coach Russell Martin.
For Jack Butland, meanwhile, it was a fresh start; the moment he was finally able to close the door on last season's demons.
The goalkeeper had, of course, been unceremoniously dropped before Rangers' previous home continental game, the Europa League quarter-final first leg against Athletic Bilbao back in April.
Barry Ferguson, the then interim manager, had lost patience with the Englishman after a series of high-profile blunders, and when Liam Kelly saved a penalty to secure a 0-0 draw with the Basques, Butland's fate was sealed.
The 32-year-old found himself reinstated for the final two Premiership games of the campaign — dead rubbers both — but a far more significant show of faith arrived in the form of selection last week against the Greeks.
And boy did Butland repay Martin, pulling off a string of excellent saves to keep the scoreline blank before fine second-half strikes from Findlay Curtis and Djeidi Gassama gave Rangers a cushion to deploy in the searing heat of Athens come Wednesday night. Far from calling for his head as they had been less than four months ago, the home support were back to chanting Butland's name.
'I certainly know that they remember that guy that I was at times last year,' he said. 'There were also some times where I wasn't at the levels I needed to be. It was not for the lack of trying and not for the effort that I put in on the training pitch. I just had a difficult moment. And when you have a difficult moment here, at a club like this, it can be compounded.
'I completely understand at times the frustration of the fans because the expectations of me are so high. My expectations of me are so high, which is why probably those moments felt a lot worse. But listen, they make you stronger.
'I feel really refreshed, feel good, feel really positive about the season ahead. I had a really good summer, a lot of time to think about stuff, work on stuff, just to remind myself that I'm a good goalkeeper — I believe that I'm a top goalkeeper. Sometimes you can forget that when things get tough and you start to overthink. But I'm feeling in a great place, really looking forward to the season.'
Asked how he had pulled himself out of a hole, Butland spoke of having used the setback as a spur.
'Sometimes it's just a case of, you know, you've got to break down a few walls yourself as far as reminding yourself of things, just training hard, reinforcing things.
'I had a good sort of training camp in the summer. I looked at a few things where I felt I'd slipped into a couple of bad habits. And it just gives you a little bit of something to focus on, a different thing to look at.
'And some things that I've taken into this pre-season with a sort of fresh mind … I'm really excited about the opportunity to work with the manager and what we're trying to do here.
'I want to be here. That can hurt you. So, for me, it was, I suppose, a bit of a kick up the backside, if you like. Not like I needed it. But if there was any motivation I needed, that was added extra. I know and believe I can be a huge, huge part of this club's history and success. And I still intend to do that.
'I wasn't looking for a big game [against Panathinaikos]. It was just a case of 'let's just play the game'. I felt in a good place. Let's just try and make good decisions.'
From the boardroom to the dressing room, it has been a summer of huge change at Rangers, with plenty more turnover of personnel expected before the transfer window closes on September 1. Butland believes the level and pace of change has already had a revitalising effect.
'Sometimes it can be really difficult. But what I will say about the guys they've brought in, they have a lot of ideas, a lot of energy and it feels like we're starting to operate in a really good way.
'And that just leaves you as players to do your own thing, just to fit into the system, test yourself in the way that the manager's challenged us. All the staff set the levels and then it's really good and easy for you to follow as players. You can then reinforce things, but the message is there.'
Although Rangers have taken a huge step towards the third round of Champions League qualifying — where they would meet Servette or Viktoria Plzen — Martin's men have been at pains to underline that the tie is not over.
They will be rightly mindful of the cloying conditions which await at the Olympic Stadium, as well as a Panathinaikos side whose early dominance could have put them well ahead had it not been for Butland's brilliance.
'We're not far off our holidays; the boys have had some heat in recent weeks so it shouldn't be too much of a test and we're certainly not going to use that as a concern,' the goalkeeper said.
'A lot of tactics go out the window. You've got to play the game, you've got to use your experience, you've got to manage the game, you've got to take the sting out of it, you've got to know when to get the ball back and play quick and when to kill the game and play it smart.
'All of that's going to come into it because this is not a league format, this is a knockout. We know what this means and what we need to do.'