Southgate’s England may change policy over Rangers’ Jack Butland

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Southgate’s England may change policy over Rangers’ Jack Butland
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - MARCH 14: Jack Butland of Rangers is seen at full time during the UEFA Europa League 2023/24 round of 16 second leg match between Rangers FC and SL Benfica at Ibrox Stadium on March 14, 2024 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Having struggled between the sticks, Gareth Southgate may elect for a policy change in goals.

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Jack Butland could be in line for a sensational call up to the England squad for the summer Euros, after it was confirmed this morning that Jordan Pickford and Aaron Ramsdale will go, putting him in line against fit-again Newcastle stopper Nick Pope and Crystal Palace’s Sam Johnstone.

The chance of him actually getting the call is modest, very modest, but is increased if England manager Gareth Southgate elects to call four goalies up rather than three, which it’s rumoured he may do.

This would mean his chances of going increase significantly and he’d be competing with two others for two slots.

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Southgate has been north to watch Butland, having taken in April’s 3-3 at Ibrox, following the last international break where he shockingly excluded Rangers’ number one in favour of Palace’s Johnstone, so he may be more inclined for a change of heart.

We are certainly not optimistic for Butland’s chances though, especially as that final two months of the season saw a huge form crash from Rangers, and Butland’s goal breached several times.

But he is well deserving of his nominations for POTY, even if he was never going to win any – they just don’t win POTY in Scotland, the last two being in the era of Aberdeen’s Theo Snelders and our own Andy Goram in the early 90s.

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But it’s the call up he’d love, and if Southgate is going to go with four goalies, Butland stands a much bigger chance of the call.

But time will tell. The announcement is at 1PM.

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