“What comes out of his mouth you can’t argue with” – Eagles goalkeeper on boss Patrick Vieira

BY ANDREW MCSTEEN

With experience of being in a FIFA World Cup squad himself, Crystal Palace goalkeeper Jack Butland knows a thing or two about the biggest football event on the planet.

But, down at their Beckenham training ground, there is someone who has won the global prize – boss Patrick Vieira.

The former French captain and midfielder won it with France back in 1998 but according to the former England shotstopper the Eagles manager does not need to mention it or talk about his medal.

“He’s not someone to go and bring it up without any reason to, but if there was something that comes along, or someone’s giving him a little bit, or tries to question [him], everyone knows what they’re going to get in response,” Butland told the South London Press.

“When he did actually come in [as manager], we looked at his record – what he won – and it is quite absurd. He’s a great manager now. He’s had a hell of a career and he’s been great for us.

“When the gaffer comes in, one, before he opens his mouth, he’s got that respect of what he achieved as a player that he just brings with him. There’s that immediate respect that you have for him, you want to pick his brains.

“What comes out of his mouth you can’t argue with,” added Butland, who was part of the 2018 World Cup squad with England.

“He’s a great manager. He speaks to people on a level. It’s not they see him on the training pitch and he disappears for the rest of the day. He has relationships with people.

“He’s got some interesting characters to look after. He does a great job and as a group, we have a lot of fun. He is demanding a lot from you. We are where we are in the league, but we’re not happy because we want more. That’s what he’s bought out of this group over the last couple of years.”

Those ‘interesting characters’ which Butland mentions are plain to see for anyone who spends time watching the Eagles, with an evident positive spirit running throughout the squad and the former Stoke City player believes it is one of the best squads he has been in across his career.

“This is a very good group,” said Butland. “We’ve got quite a lot of youngsters that are learning a lot. You’ve got some experienced boys, some sort of in the middle who have got a bit of both.

“I’m not putting myself in that experienced category yet. I’m 29 so I’ve still got a long way to go, but we’ve got a really good mix.”