Philippe Clement backs Rangers goalkeeper for England recall ahead of Kilmarnock test
Philippe Clement backs Rangers goalkeeper for England recall ahead of Kilmarnock test
According to a Sky Sports source, the 30-year-old, who earned his final nine caps in September 2018, is a candidate for the March
Wembley friendly against Belgium and Brazil before the 2024 European Championships this summer.
Ahead of the cinch Premiership trip to Kilmarnock on Wednesday night – where Gers boss Clement revealed striker Kemar Roofe will
not be considered because of the artificial surface – the Belgian said of the Butland report:
“I would love that he would be there because he deserves, he is ready in that way.
“If he deserves enough, that is the decision of Southgate of course.
Despite having less work to accomplish the past few weeks, Butland has been a huge asset to the team.
“However, he maintains the same level of focus and seriousness. He is valuable in the locker room and during training, and he will
continue to be so in the coming weeks and months as there are many crucial games left that call for players with personality.”
After losing 3-1 at Ibrox on January 2, Derek McInnes’ team has won seven straight games across
all competitions, and they are currently in fourth place.
Although Clement’s squad leads Celtic by two points at the top of the standings, he is concerned that the Ayrshire team’s performance
and artificial field could hurt their chances of winning the championship.
“We will approach the game with respect for the opponent but also respect for ourselves, to play our own game,” he added. “It’s a
difficult challenge, but you need to adapt to a completely different kind of football because of the pitch.”
“I made the comparison with tennis. Playing at Wimbledon or on a clay court.
“It is a little bit like that, of course a different sport but the ball goes faster (on artificial turf)
so you need to be a little bit more precise.
“Passing becomes slower after a while on a grass field. It maintains its speed or picks up even more speed on artificial.
“A lot of things are different, but it is what it is. The ball bounces in a completely different way, and it moves differently when turning, running, and stopping.
Although it is difficult, we must repeat what we did at Livingston.
“Although it will be an entirely different game, scoring three points is the most important thing.”
“We are going to go there with full focus but we know it is one of those dangerous moments, it can be a bump on the road.”
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