JACK BUTLAND was the toast of Ibrox last night as he produced the heroics which saw Rangers into the quarter finals of the Europa League.
He denied Dusan Tadic and Fred before Mert Hakan Yandaş blazed over as the Ibrox men ran out 3-2 winners – and all with a little help from his water bottle.
Jack Butland with penalty shootout instructions on his water bottle[/caption]
Jack Butland with penalty shootout instructions on his water bottle[/caption]
It was a welcome return to form for the stopper who has been held culpable for recent errors – but there’s never been any doubting his shot stopping.
First Butland saved with his right leg as Tadic went down the middle with the first spot kick of the shoot out, but was just out of reach when Tadic’s countryman Edin Dzeko beat him to his right with the next kick.
The Ibrox side scored their first two through James Tavernier and Vaclav Cerny – with Ghana defender Alexander Djiku bamboozling Butland with a stutter step to keep things tight at 3-2 to the Gers.
Ianis Hagi saw his spot kick touched onto the post to level things up after three penalties each but Butland came up big, correctly guessing that ex-Man Utd star Fred was going to aim his left foot penalty to his right.
After Tom Lawrence blasted down the middle, the match belonged to Rangers when Mert Hakan Yandaş blasted wildly over the bar.
All in all it was the kind of showing his goalie coach Allan McGregor would have been proud of, and something presumably he had no small part in.
Exclusive SunSport images of Butland’s water bottle showed the painstaking research which had been compiled for each player before the first leg of the match – with the locations of their previous penalties (successful or unsuccessful) each plotted on a picture of a net.
The Ibrox No.1 said afterwards: “I did plenty before the game last week, depending on who it would have been.
“I felt like I did a good job of predicting where people were going to go, but you still never know.
“Dzeko’s penalty was top, I thought I was going to get to that one, but it’s what you work for.
“You need a bit of luck.
“I guess it was meant to be for us on Thursday. I’m delighted for everyone.
“We fully deserved it over the two legs.”
During their days at Birmingham, club captain Barry Ferguson was Butland’s mentor.
Now reunited at Rangers, he’s still setting the same high standards now he’s the keeper’s manager.
Barry Ferguson, Head Coach of Rangers FC, celebrates with Jack Butland[/caption]
Life has gone full circle for the pair following their days together at St Andrew’s.
Back then, Ferguson’s trophy-laden career was beginning to wind down – just as Butland’s was getting started.
So when the former City midfielder landed the job of his dreams following the sacking of Philippe Clement, Butland knew exactly what to expect.
For Ferguson, accountability is everything and there wasn’t enough of it at Ibrox.
Butland said: “It’s been enjoyable.
“I’ve known the manager for a long time, he was my senior pro when I came through at Birmingham all those years ago.
“He was the role model, he was the one that set the tone in the changing room so I knew a little bit of what he was about.
“I’ve seen a little bit more of it in the last couple of weeks.
Jack Butland takes the acclaim as Rangers progress[/caption]
“I wouldn’t have told him back then if he was moaning, but it was certainly great to see.
“It was a Birmingham team that was led and organised by him.
“It was driven by him. It was about accountability, hard work and just giving everything.
“That hasn’t changed and that’s what’s required here.”
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