Micah Richards has been extremely complimentary of ‘confident’ Jack Butland despite the goalkeeper not being selected for the latest England squad.
On Thursday, Gareth Southgate announced his 25-man squad for the upcoming March international break – his last squad before he selects his team for Euro 2024.
While there were some controversial decisions, there was no change in the goalkeeper lineup, with Jordan Pickford, Aaron Ramsdale and Sam Johnstone selected.
This was somewhat surprising as it was widely reported that Butland had earned a recall to the squad nearly six years after his last appearance for the Three Lions.
The keeper earned nine caps for his country from 2012 to 2018, mainly serving as backup to Joe Hart, and was included in the squads for Euro 2012 and the 2018 World Cup.
However, a combination of injuries, relegation with Stoke, and poor form caused him to drop down the pecking order, and last season he did not play a single game for either Crystal Palace or Manchester United, where he was on loan for six months.
He joined Rangers last summer and has been in very impressive form for the Scottish club, keeping 23 clean sheets in 46 appearances and conceding just 35 goals.
Southgate may have overlooked him, but former England defender Richards holds the 31-year-old in high regard, saying on The Rest is Football podcast: ‘He was one of those keepers who we had high expectations for.
‘I remember when Joe Hart was getting in, and everyone was talking about Butland. He made a few errors in games, he’s gone to Rangers, playing well week in, week out. Against Benfica [in the Europa League] he was outstanding.
‘I played with him at the Olympics, and he just had that confidence. You need that from a goalkeeper, he backs himself even when things are not going particularly well.
‘He’s just got that self-belief and I think that is what has got him back to even being in the question to be [in the squad]. I’m happy that he has potentially got a chance.’
Everton’s Pickford is the only keeper that can be certain of a place in the Euros squad, with Ramsdale barely playing for Arsenal, while the third spot will be a battle between Johnstone, Butland, Nick Pope, Dean Henderson and James Trafford.
‘We’ve got a strange situation at England if you look at the goalkeepers,’ Richards added.
‘Obviously Ramsdale is not playing. You’ve got Sam Johnstone who’s been in and he’s been out and then he’s been back in.
‘You’ve got Pickford who’s ever present, always playing well but in a team that’s struggling. So you’re constantly juggling who’s going to be number one and who’s going to be given a chance.’
Southgate will likely try all three of his current keepers out in the upcoming March friendlies against Belgium and Brazil.
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