Latest news with #RangersFC
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
'I never once thought I needed to get out'
Jack Butland insists he never considered seeking an escape route this summer and Rangers remains the club "where I want to be". The former England goalkeeper lost his Ibrox starting spot to Liam Kelly during the final months of last term under interim boss Barry Ferguson. But Butland, 32, was give the gloves by new head coach Russell Martin for the season-opening first-leg win over Panathinaikos in Champions League qualifying last week and is determined to build on that impressive performance. "Has it been smooth sailing, my time at the club? Not for me personally, for all of us, no, it's not been quite as successful as we'd like it to have been," Butland told Sky Sports. "I never lost that, I didn't walk away from the season thinking, although some people like to try and make those stories up, that that's the end of it. "I was very determined that I will determine how my career goes here. "Obviously things can be taken out of your hands at times, but I was very adamant in the summer that regardless of what happens, what managerial changes, ownership changes, that I was going to come in and be the best version of myself and at least give myself the opportunity to have control of what happens next. "I hope I've managed to do that. I certainly feel fit and sharp and positive and looking forward to the season ahead at a club where I want to be. "I never once looked away from it and thought I need a change or I need to get out. "I need to keep my head up, stick my chest out and get on with it. That's the plan."
BBC News
10 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
'I never once thought I needed to get out'
Jack Butland insists he never considered seeking an escape route this summer and Rangers remains the club "where I want to be".The former England goalkeeper lost his Ibrox starting spot to Liam Kelly during the final months of last term under interim boss Barry Butland, 32, was give the gloves by new head coach Russell Martin for the season-opening first-leg win over Panathinaikos in Champions League qualifying last week and is determined to build on that impressive performance."Has it been smooth sailing, my time at the club? Not for me personally, for all of us, no, it's not been quite as successful as we'd like it to have been," Butland told Sky Sports."I never lost that, I didn't walk away from the season thinking, although some people like to try and make those stories up, that that's the end of it."I was very determined that I will determine how my career goes here."Obviously things can be taken out of your hands at times, but I was very adamant in the summer that regardless of what happens, what managerial changes, ownership changes, that I was going to come in and be the best version of myself and at least give myself the opportunity to have control of what happens next."I hope I've managed to do that. I certainly feel fit and sharp and positive and looking forward to the season ahead at a club where I want to be."I never once looked away from it and thought I need a change or I need to get out."I need to keep my head up, stick my chest out and get on with it. That's the plan."
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
BUTLAND PLEDGE: Rangers keeper vows to regain trust of fans after admitting he slipped into 'bad habits' last season
Jack Butland has reassured Rangers fans he's ready to return to top form after admitting that he slipped into 'bad habits' last season. The former England goalkeeper endured a torrid campaign with a string of high-profile errors eventually leading to him being dropped from the team. After describing that as 'a kick up the backside', the 32-year-old looked back to his best when he returned to action against Panathinaikos last week, producing three top-drawer saves as Russell Martin's side took a 2-0 first leg lead in their Champions League qualifier. Speaking for the first time about the most difficult campaign of his career at Ibrox, Butland acknowledged he had addressed his poor form in the early part of the summer, and now feels primed to reproduce the kind of performances which saw him touted for an international recall in his first year in Glasgow. 'I had a good training camp in the summer,' he said. 'I looked at a few things that 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. 'Whenever there's those question marks over you, I want to define my time here. 'I love it here. I want to be here. So, 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.' Butland's heroics last Tuesday provided the platform for Findlay Curtis and Djeidi Gassama to strike in the second half. But while Martin's men are in the box seat in the tie, the keeper is expecting the Greeks to come out with all guns blazing in the second leg in Athens tomorrow amid temperatures predicted to hit 37 degrees. 'Yeah, they will and they need to,' he added. 'A lot of the work we've done is off the ball as well. 'We're going to have to be on it off the ball, press them into difficult areas and do what we need to do. 'We were in St George's Park a few weeks back, it wasn't quite 40 degrees, but it was hot enough. 'You know, we're not far off our holidays so 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. 'It's going to be difficult for both sides. We travel over there, we take our fans with us and we try and make a difference.'
Daily Record
7 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Rangers served warning as Panathinaikos star makes bold claim about Champions League scoreline
Filip Duricic is a believer Panathinaikos will turn their tie around and send Russell Martin out of the competition in Athens Filip Duricic is a believer Panathinaikos will turn their Champions League tie around and send Rangers out of the competition in Athens. Russell Martin' s side have planted one foot in the next round after a 2-0 home win at Ibrox against 10-man Pana, who were guilty of missing a string of chances. The return is at the Olympic Stadium next week and Serbian midfielder Duricic insists the tie is far from over. He said: "I believe in Athens we will turn the match around. But when a game ends and you've lost 2-0, you can't be satisfied. "We played well, we had many chances and if I or Facundo Pellistri had scored at 0-0, things would have been different. "Sometimes you have to take responsibility. We still have the rematch and there we'll have a chance to go through. "We are satisfied with how we played, but I cannot be satisfied with the fact that we missed the opportunities. We showed that we can create chances. "In Athens, in front of our own fans, I believe in victory." Rangers FC pre-season 2025/26 The 2025/26 season promises to be one filled with excitement, challenges, and opportunities for Russell Martin's team, with a full fixture list and key dates for the campaign this guide is all you need to kick off the new season! Order your copy here now for only £3.50. And his colleague, Uruguayan star Pellistri, took responsibility for the defeat to Rangers. He said: "We dominated in the first half, but we failed to take the many chances we had. That's how football is. "Credit to Rangers for taking their chances. "We are very sad to leave here, but at least we still have a chance of avenging this defeat in Athens. "At home, we will have our fans behind us and with them with us, anything is possible."
BBC News
7 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
'Cool cat' Curtis ignites Martin's Rangers reign
While several new faces have arrived at Rangers at the dawn of a new era, Russell Martin has continually reiterated his openness to be surprised by members of the squad he would be fair to assume Findlay Curtis files into that category after the teenager was trusted to start on the left of Martin's attack in his first competitive match in charge of the Ibrox first leg of the Champions League second-round qualifier against Panathinaikos was just a sixth Rangers appearance for the 18-year-old. It was only his second start."He has the athleticism and talent to play in his team for sure, but he also has the character," Martin explained Rangers looking nervy and vulnerable for the majority of a first half Martin described as "uncomfortable", Curtis eased growing tension by demanding the ball, driving inside, and unleashing a stunning strike to ignite Martin's reign.A first goal in senior football, it was a moment that swung momentum and had former Rangers wide men waxing lyrical."Brilliant, son. He's a cool cat this kid, I tell you," ex-Ibrox winger and coach Neil McCann said on Premier Sports. "That's a fantastic finish, I love that," was the view of Peter Lovenkrands on BBC Sportsound. Martin's Rangers 'far from finished article' Martin said Curtis "had some tough moments" in the opening half, but on his first start on the European stage, the youngster responded to almost single-handedly shift the mood and the course of the game at minutes after opening the scoring, another delicate touch and driving run from the teenager resulted in Panathinaikos' Georgios Vagiannidis picking up a second yellow sending off allowed Rangers to take control of a contest that was overwhelming them in the opening period, and Curtis' replacement, Djeidi Gassama, sealed a vital two-goal first-leg win with another fine strike."We expected it to be tough, they are a really good team," Martin told BBC Scotland. "We had some uncomfortable moments in the first half."We were far from the finished article, but the players showed character and a willingness to fight and to run for each other. And, as the game went on, they started to look after the ball better." 'Perfect result doesn't tell full story of match' In a difficult opening period, Curtis was not alone in toiling. After a bright opening few minutes, Rangers ceased any control by continually giving up possession as the visitors spurned multiple side had managed 22 touches in the opposition box at the interval, while Rangers were on just hosts had goalkeeper Jack Butland, restored to the starting line-up after being dropped at the end of last season, to thank for at least three excellent hailed Butland as an "outstanding goalkeeper" before challenging his players to approach next week's second leg, which will be shown live on the BBC, with "the same mentality and the same willingness to run and more".Former Rangers striker Steven Thompson expressed caution despite a "perfect" first-leg result."Maybe [the result] doesn't tell the full story of the match," he added on BBC Sportsound. "Until the sending off, Panathinaikos were well in the game."Rangers have put themselves in a great position, but it's not over yet. European football is difficult and Panathinaikos will feel they have something to prove." Have your say What did you make of Rangers' display in Martin's competitive debut?What did you think of Curtis' performance and Gassama's impact? And what about Butland's response to returning to the side?Send us your thoughts
