LEARNING TO GLOVE AGAIN
Butland’s slide has been alarming ..but Stoke boss O’Neill reckons rebuild begins NOW
JACK BUTLAND has been told to forget his alarming slide and play himself back to the big time.
The 27-year-old Stoke keeper has seen injuries, relegation and loss of form put a black cloud over his career for both club and country.
Three years ago he was pushing Joe Hart for the undisputed England No.1 spot and being touted for big-money moves. Now he’s a million miles away.
Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope, Dean Henderson and Tom Heaton are all above him in the Three Lions pecking order and he is playing for a Stoke side that only just avoided relegation from the Championship.
With just one year on his contract left, Butland could probably be picked up for around £8million – not so long ago it would have taken nearer £25m to get Stoke’s attention.
But Potters boss Michael O’Neill (below) says his 6ft 5in stopper should stop feeling sorry for himself. O’Neill said: “What has happened in the two years since the 2018 World Cup doesn’t concern me and I don’t think it will help Jack.
“What he has to deal with is the here and now. The past is the past. He’s got a year left on his contract so it’s in his hands to have a really good season. I think he is still one of the top keepers around but by his own admission coming into the Championship was difficult.
“You have to prove you are a top player all the time and he had one or two difficult moments last season.”
A neck injury meant Butland missed the last four league games of last season and deputy Adam Davies helped Stoke to safety. The Potters entertain Blackpool in the EFL Cup tomorrow and O’Neill said: “I will be playing a keeper but who it will be we will have to see.”