Butland ready to bide his time in bid to stay on upward curve

Much has happened to the goalkeeper over the past year, with him being included in the senior Three Lions squad for Euro 2012, making his full England debut in a friendly against Italy in August and also featuring for Great Britain at the London Olympics.

His impressive form then earned him a January transfer from Championship side Birmingham to Premier League outfit Stoke, although Butland returned to the Blues on loan for the rest of the season.

He has spoken about how he has rejected advances from the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City because he did not want his development to be hampered by a lack of first-team opportunities.

While ambitious, Butland, 20, is wary of making a false move by trying to achieve too much too soon, and despite having now tasted life with the England seniors, he is very much focused on the Young Lions’ Euros campaign in Israel in June.

Butland, who has represented his country at various youth levels, said: “It has been a big development curve in my career this year.

“I am very pleased with everything that has happened – it is something to look back on and be really proud of, with everything that happened last summer and this season.

“I’m really pleased with the opportunities I was given and I’m looking forward to what is next.

“I’m still young, especially as a goalkeeper, and my development has got to be steady – I can’t push myself too much too fast.

“I’d like to think I have taken the opportunities I have been given, but I have to be very careful that I don’t put too much pressure on myself and that I keep steadily improving as I’m stepping up to the next level”

Regarding this summer’s tournament in Israel, he added: “My goal is to push for a senior England spot, but that is not going to come without proving it at Under-21 level, Championship level and, hopefully, in the Premier League.”