MX23RW : Tuesday, December 17 01:26:23| >> :600:100145:100145:

Jack Butland takes confidence from Mark Hughes faith

Stoke City goalkeeper Jack Butland thanks manager Mark Hughes for confirming that he will be the club's first-choice keeper.

Stoke City goalkeeper Jack Butland has thanked manager Mark Hughes for publicly declaring that he will be the club's number one at the start of the new campaign.

The Potters sold Asmir Begovic, who had been the number one for four years, to Chelsea for £8m allowing Butland to be promoted up the pecking order.

He is quoted as saying by The Sentinel: "Confidence wise it's brilliant to hear it confirmed but it was always a target, and in my own mind there was no way I was not going to let it not be the case.

"I've got to come in and take it, no-one is going to give it to me, so for the manager to confirm that is brilliant and only gives me more motivation going into the season.

"There's no pressure involved. I've already done the hard yards to get into the team. It's a level I'm comfortable with and a team I'm comfortable playing in."

Butland is likely to start Stoke's first game of the season against Liverpool next weekend.

ID:236396: cacheID:236396:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:1934:
Written by
Charlie Bennett
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Jack Butland for Stoke on January 5, 2015
Read Next:
Shawcross backs Butland to shine
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd21145230111945
2Leeds UnitedLeeds21126337152242
3Burnley2111822681841
4Sunderland21117332171540
5Blackburn RoversBlackburn2011452517837
6Middlesbrough21104735251034
7Watford2010462926334
8West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom2171132416832
9Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds218582630-429
10Swansea CitySwansea217682322127
11Bristol City216962626027
12Norwich CityNorwich216873632426
13Millwall206772018225
14Derby CountyDerby216692626024
15Coventry CityCoventry216692730-324
16Preston North EndPreston2141162127-623
17Stoke CityStoke215792328-522
18Queens Park RangersQPR2141072127-622
19Luton TownLuton2164112337-1422
20Oxford UnitedOxford Utd2046102133-1218
21Cardiff CityCardiff2046101932-1318
22Portsmouth193882134-1317
23Plymouth ArgylePlymouth2045111942-2317
24Hull City2137111930-1116


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!