JACK’S FIGHTING FIT AFTER ANKLE MISERY
JACK BUTLAND has set his sights on being England’s No.1 after admitting he feared his career was over.
Butland, 24, was out for 13 months after an ankle injury nightmare saw him undergo three operations.
The Stoke keeper (right) is now back to full fitness and is seen as a long-term successor to first-choice Joe Hart, especially as he has come through the ranks with boss Gareth Southgate.
But Butland began to fear the worst as he struggled for fitness following the injury in England’s friendly in Germany in March last year.
He said: “Being out for so long makes you stronger.
“Sometimes you reach your lowest point, you don’t know if you will play again, when the next operation or injection might be.
“There are times when you are at rock bottom but that’s when you need the people around you – your club, your fans, everything from little tweets on social media, just to give you that bit of reassurance, that positivity. I feel like I’ve pretty much experienced everything I can in football.
“It feels extremely, extremely good to be back. “It’s been a long time and to get the Three Lions back on my chest after some difficult times is really good.
“I’m just thoroughly enjoying being back and looking forward to the week ahead. “The worst thing about being injured is just missing out on what you love, missing out on being part of a team. It can be a lonely place when you are injured.
“I wanted to make up for all the lost time – missing out on the Euros and missing so many Premier League games.”
Butland, who has four caps, came through with Southgate with the Under-21s and hopes he can follow that path into the seniors.
He makes no apologies for wanting to be No.1 but insists that helping England to success is his first goal.
Butland said: “I want to be not just the best I can, but the best in the world, I want to play with the best in the world. I want to look back and have won things and be in successful teams.
“I have no greater desire than regularly winning things – Euro Championships and World Cups with England – if you can be part of that then it’s the ultimate.”