As he reflected on his first season in Scottish football in the aftermath of Rangers’ 3-3 draw with Hearts at Tynecastle on Saturday afternoon, Jack Butland confessed that failing to win the title had hit him and his team mates “like a ton of bricks”.
Having won just three of their last eight cinch Premiership games and allowed their nearest challengers to catch and overtake them in the table, it is little wonder the Ibrox club’s players are somewhat shellshocked at the moment.
Yet, Butland remains convinced they can dust themselves down, take a wrecking ball to Celtic’s hopes of completing a double in the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup final at Hampden this weekend and lay the foundations for a successful 2024/25 campaign at the same time.
The former England goalkeeper has excelled during the past 10 months because he is an exceptional footballer with vast experience at a high level. He has also flourished, though, because he has accepted and embraced the demands which there are on him to deliver silverware and success.
So the nine-times capped 31-year-old, who is still hopeful of being named in Gareth Southgate’s 26 man squad for the Euro 2024 finals in Germany on Tuesday, knows there is no time to wallow in self-pity.
He has immediately set his sights on ending the season on a high by securing another trophy. He believes that landing the Scottish Cup will go a long way towards repairing their wounded pride and ensure they return next term with the confidence they can be crowned champions.
Asked what the overriding emotions in the Rangers dressing room are at the moment, Butland said: “There’s a bit of all sorts in there. There is frustration because you’ve come so close.
“I know the table perhaps won’t look like that at the minute (Celtic finished eight points clear after all 38 games had been played) but we had our moments and we had our opportunities. That’s where the frustration comes in.
“But, ultimately, there is defiance. And there is certainly some belief there before next week. There is some pride on the line. That is what this club and playing in this city is all about, it’s the next one.
“The league is now out of our hands and gone. Now we have to focus on the cup next weekend. It’s always the next one.”
He continued: “It has to be the demand of everybody to win trophies. It has to be the demand of the club, the manager, the players, all of us. The demand has to be to win. It’s important that you finish the season strong.
“Like I said about the league, we didn’t achieve what we wanted to. But if we can finish the season strong then we have to use that as a platform, we have to use it one way or another to kick on and to be better next season.”
Butland was the subject of an unsuccessful bid from Premier League strugglers Nottingham Forest during the January transfer window and is sure to be targeted by clubs down south and across Europe in the summer.
Philippe Clement admitted last week that cashing in on saleable assets could enable him to strengthen their squad with new signings. However, he emphasised that his keeper would not be sold “for any price”.
If a seven figure offer was to come in, the Rangers’ hierarchy’s resolve would unquestionably be tested.
The former Birmingham City, Stoke City and Crystal Palace player, though, emphasised how content he is in Glasgow and how much he had relished being involved with the Govan outfit this season despite their failure to land the Premiership.
“Listen, I’ve loved it,” he said. “It’s been eventful. It’s had its ups and down. There’s been some incredible moments. Ultimately, we’ve fallen short of our main goal which was to win the league.
“So, yeah, there’s been some down moments over the last couple of weeks. You know, when you’ve put so much effort into that ambition and then for it to be gone, it hits you like a ton of bricks I suppose.
“But I’ve loved this last 12 months. I’ve loved the challenge, I’ve loved the experience. I’ve loved my work and I’ve loved trying to help the boys. I’ve loved doing what I’m doing and I’ve really enjoyed playing in front of our fans everywhere we go and at Ibrox.
“It’s been enjoyable. I know it’s had it’s disappointments. We haven’t achieved what we wanted to achieve, but I’ve really enjoyed myself.”
Rangers are more than capable of putting their Premiership disappointment firmly behind them and recording their first win over Celtic this season in the Scottish Cup final at Hampden this weekend. Having half of the crowd cheering them on will help their cause no end.
Winning two cups this term – they lifted the Viaplay Cup back in December - would be a fine achievement given the disarray they were in when Clement took over from Michael Beale back in October.
But Butland has to be hopeful that Leon Balogun, John Lundstram, Abdallah Sima and Ridvan Yilmaz are fit enough to start and that his manager decides to deploy Dujon Sterling in central midfield instead of wide on the right.
If the Ibrox club are understrength once again against on-form opponents who have put their injury problems firmly behind them in recent weeks and have all of their best performers available, the goalkeeper may find he has a busy afternoon in Mount Florida.
