Jack Butland will bounce back from Rangers adversity as pundit confident he can reclaim No.1 spot at Ibrox
Former Crystal Palace and Manchester United goalkeeper made a number of high-profile blunders last season and lost the gloves earlier this year
Former Rangers goalkeeper Cammy Bell has backed Jack Butland to overcome a period of adversity and reclaim the number one spot at Ibrox as he looks to impress new head coach Russell Martin.
The ex-England international recently opened up on the intense pressure and criticism he has faced on a regular basis in Glasgow after making a string of mistakes that led to him being dropped by caretaker boss Barry Ferguson ahead of a crucial Europa League quarter-final tie against Athletic Bilbao.
Understudy Liam Kelly donned the gloves for the final few months of a dismal campaign, but didn’t fare much better as the Light Blues continues to leak goals. However, Bell is confidence that Butland can put some fierce scrutiny behind him by showing a steely resilience as he prepares to a fresh start under Martin.
Speaking to GlasgowWorld, Bell said: “I firmly believe Jack Butland will think he can be Rangers number one in the future. He had a difficult season last year, he’s had time to reflect on it and he understands that he had a challenging season. That’s the most important thing.
“He’ll be working hard during the summer and he’s got a fresh opportunity now because there’s a new manager in the door. Hopefully he’ll get the game time that he wants in pre-season and try to nail down that number one spot.
“Liam Kelly is a top goalkeeper as well, so there’s good competition in that department. But I feel like Jack will certainly back himself to try and get that number one spot back.
“It’s going to be interesting to see what happens because the keepers, who starts in goal, is going to play much more than previously because of the way the new manager plays his football. So that’s another element that both goalkeepers will have to take into account.”
Meanwhile, Bell has tipped 19-year-old shot-stopper Mason Munn to fulfill his dream of becoming Rangers number one in the future as he continues to learn and work alongside senior pros Butland and Kelly.
The former Glentoran youngster featured in a number of first-team squad last term and will hope he is given more opportunities to impress under Russell Martin.
He added: “Yeah, I think he’s got a bright future ahead of himself. I’ve covered a couple of game he’s been involved in, the Scottish Youth Cup final two seasons ago, where he had a really strong performance. He’s a good size and looks as though he’s got all the right attributes.
“Yes, you can have all of that but you’ve got to play football and hopefully Mason gets the opportunity to go out on loan and play first-team regular football. I know it’s difficult for clubs like Rangers who want three good quality goalkeepers in their squad, but it sometimes hampers young lads when they’re not getting that opportunity.
“I touched on it before, but decision-making in goalkeeping is vital. You can’t replicate that in training, you can only get that from playing minutes. I’m hoping he’s got the potential to be Rangers number one in the future, he certainly seems to have everything in the toolbox to become a top keeper.”
*Cammy Bell was launching the Refugee World Cup Scotland 2025 tournament on Sunday 29th June at Toryglen Regional Football Centre. The event celebrates the diversity of communities in Scotland through football while standing up for the rights of refugees.