Ally McCoist and Jeff Stelling have clashed live on talkSPORT after the Rangers legend suggested Jack Butland should be called up for England ahead of the European Championships.
McCoist insisted Butland’s “terrific” performances this season should have put him in the running for Gareth Southgate’s squad, and stressed that he is playing every week.
Stelling, meanwhile, slammed the call, claiming he is not better than either Jordan Pickford or Aaron Ramsdale, and claiming England should take James Trafford ahead of Butland as the third-choice keeper.
Speaking live on talkSPORT [30 January, 07:28], McCoist insisted: “Butland is in all day. He’s been absolutely terrific, he’s playing every week. He makes important ones [saves].”
Stelling then read a message from a fan: “OJ in Glasgow says: ‘Butland absolutely deserves to go to the Euros, he’s a much better keeper than Pickford’ – no he’s not, OJ – ‘And better than Ramsdale’ – no he’s not, OJ.
“‘Pickford is at a club that’s struggling’ – It doesn’t matter what club he’s at. He [Butland] hasn’t had an England cap since 2018, he won’t be going.
“I’ll tell you what, Ally, the number three goalkeeper in the England squad, he won’t play. So what England need to do is: you take James Trafford from Burnley, he’s represented England at every level, he’s 21, and you give him the experience of going to a big tournament. He’s not going to play.”
McCoist then ended with: “You cannot take anybody who you think is not going to play. You’re going to take a young boy, a goalkeeper who’s not playing, and Pickford? Not for me, Jeff.”
Butland has earned the recall
He may not have represented England since 2018, during which time he has bounced around clubs with varying degrees of playing time, but having finally settled at Rangers, surely his performances have warranted a call from the England boss?
Not only is he playing every single week, but he has also been the standout player in a team that is challenging for the league title and has qualified for the next stage of the Europa League – if he was playing in England he would be in that side already.
Jordan Pickford is most likely to remain England’s number one, which is fair enough, but the likes of Aaron Ramsdale, Nick Pope, Dean Henderson and Sam Johnstone haven’t even been playing regular football.
Trafford, meanwhile, has never been called up to a senior England squad. Jack Butland went to the World Cup when England reached the semi-final in 2018, he knows what it’s about, and he has surely played his way back into contention.
