Infos » he Cougars have to find their scoring touch if they hope to make

Jack Butland has described Joe Hart as someone he looked up to as he prepares to replace him in between the sticks for England this weekend. The goalkeeper is set to start for the Three Lions against Germany on Saturday - and hopefully against the Netherlands on Tuesday - after Hart was injured in Sundays Manchester derby.He will face competition from Fraser Forster and Tom Heaton for the spot - and a place on the plane to France for Euro 2016 - but Butland says the England goalkeepers get on extremely well and described Hart as a modern hero for him earlier in his career. Jack Butland says he looked up to Joe Hart (left) at Birmingham City I wasnt a goalkeeper until I was 13 or 14 so before that, my heroes were the likes of Paul Scholes and David Beckham, but since becoming a goalkeeper, Ive obviously trained with Joe Hart, Butland told Sky Sports at the launch of Englands Euro 2016 kit with Nike.We trained together for a couple of years when I was at Birmingham and he was someone who, at the time, was making the moves in the game that I wanted to make.He was certainly someone that I looked up to, having trained with him for that year, as a much more modern hero for sure. Butland has earned three caps for the England senior squad Its very positive between the England goalkeepers. We get on extremely well, and at the end of the day, its where we work and you want it to be as enjoyable as possible.From our point of view as professionals, we want to be competitive and be the best but its enjoyable at the same time. We push each other on, we congratulate each other and we back each other so there are lots of positive things going on. From our point of view as professionals, we want to be competitive and be the best but its enjoyable at the same time. We push each other on. Butland on Joe Hart Its brilliant, I love coming away because its always like that and I feel like each time Ive gone on a trip with England, Ive come away feeling sharper, fitter and better about myself.England had a poor showing at the 2014 World Cup, where they failed to get out of their group - but followed it up with a 100 per cent record in qualification for Euro 2016. Butland says confidence is high in the England camp They face some testing friendlies in the next few months ahead of their June 11 opener against Russia and Butland expects the feeling to be positive in the camp as they build-up to the competition.Were obviously very confident. We believe that we have more than enough ability but were coming up against some tough sides so were trying to prepare for that, certainly over the next week against Germany and Holland, he added.We have a lot of talent in the squad with a number of young players who are coming through and making their way in the game and experienced professionals who are doing the same. Butland lines up alongside Phil Jagielka and Phil Jones before a Euro 2016 qualifier in Lithuania Theres great togetherness between everyone especially after the qualifying campaign that weve had and hopefully some good friendlies coming up that will test us.Come the end of it, hopefully the confidence will be even higher and well be ready to go so Im expecting it to be on point with everyone focused and raring to go. Statistical Euro squad Who is in the Euro 2016 squad according to the stats? Its down to us to be ready, but were confident with the players that we have and the ability that weve got that we can beat anyone. Weve shown that over the qualifying campaign and the friendlies so its down to us to convert that and make sure we do it on the big stage in the Euros.Despite his relatively young age of 23, Butland is no stranger to international competition, having already been part of the squad for Euro 2012 as well as competing in the Olympics for Team GB. Butland was part of the Team GB mens football team during the 2012 Olympics The stopper believes his 28 appearances for the under-21s gives him a great platform for the upcoming tournament in France.Ive been fortunate enough to go to many tournaments - the Euros in Poland and Ukraine, two European Championships with the under-21s, the under-20 World Cup and other tournaments with the younger age groups with England where weve been successful as well. Key dates We look at the key dates coming up in Englands diary Ive had my fair share and I know what its like and what it takes to go away for long periods of time, how to keep busy and how to keep focused so I think it will set me up perfectly in terms of experience for the summer and hopefully my performances from this year can add to that.Ive been working all season and all my career to be No 1. Ill do my best to continue that for the rest of the year to put together as big of a case as I can for myself.But ultimately, I want to part of a successful team with England no matter who plays in goal. Ill back and support anyone who is in there and hopefully on a personal note - and more importantly as a team - its a positive and successful one.Jack Butland wears Englands new 2016 home goalkeeper kit, built for speed with revolutionary Nike Aeroswift innovation. Visit nike.com for more information. Also See: Low: England are contenders Hodgson wont isolate players England call up Heaton for Hart Kane-Alli can be England stars Phil Niekro Braves Jersey . There are some early surprises in the race for the Hart Trophy, but two of the contenders are the leagues biggest stars over the past decade. There are many more players in contention for the awards than just the three that Ive named, and a good or bad week can easily alter the landscape, but through the first 20 or so games of the NHL season, this is how the awards races look to me. Nick Markakis Braves Jersey . That gave fans outside Joe Louis Arena another chance to ask for autographs from the 19-year-old whose stardom in the NHL has arrived earlier than most expected. http://www.baseballbravesproshop.com/hank-aaron-braves-jersey/ . Perez, 35, posted a 1-2 record with a 3.69 earned-run average in 19 relief appearances last season. His season ended Aug. 9 due to a torn ligament in his left elbow. Perez joins infielder Andy LaRoche and catcher Mike Nickeas with minor-league agreements for 2014 that include invitations to attend spring training. John Smoltz Braves Jersey . Sulaiman, 44, was chosen unanimously Tuesday in a vote by the leadership, the World Boxing Council said. Sulaiman becomes the sixth president of the organization. Orlando Cepeda Jersey . Thousands of fans at Mosaic Stadium will be cozying up to each other in an effort to stay warm in chilly temperatures and block the Prairie wind that locals say can knock your socks off. CHARLESTON, S.C. -- It was turkey time at the Charleston Classic for Wake Forest ??? and not just because its November.Demon Deacons coach Danny Manning said assistant coach Randolph Childress challenged their players to get three defensive stops in a row. We called it a turkey, Manning said.Wake Forest picked up several turkeys Sunday night in a 78-61 victory over College of Charleston to finish third in the eight-team tournament.Manning said he wanted his players focused on defense and Childress found a catchy way to do that. We had three turkeys in the first half, Manning said. Not sure how many we had in the second half, but the guys kind of rallied around that. I think were going to try and use that all year long.Especially if it leads to more defensive efforts like Wake Forest (4-1) had in beating the Cougars (3-2).The Deacons held Charleston to 33.3 percent shooting overall and 27.8 percent on threes. They had five blocks and out-rebounded their opponents 36-30 in finishing 2-1 at TD Arena.Bryant Crawford scored 12 of his 17 points in the second half and John Collins added 15 points for Wake Forest.The Demon Deacons took control against the home-standing Cougars with a 15-6 run over the final six minutes of the opening half. They kept the pressure up after the break as Crawford had a 3-pointer and a three-point play to build a 62-42 lead midway through the period.College of Charleston (3-2) sliced that margin in half with 10 straight points, but could get no closer to lose for a second straight game.The shots were just falling, Crawford said. Coach gets on me a lot about missing layups, but today I made them.Crawford ended 7 of 12 from the field and had two of Wakes eight 3-pointers.Joe Chealey led Charleston with 19 points.Wake Forest closed an up-and-down event on a high note. It opened by hitting the 100-point mark for the first time eight years with a 103-81 victory over UTEP, then fell 96-77 to No. 3 Villanova despite shooting 50 percent from the field.ddddddddddddhis time, the Deacons mostly clicked throughout against the pesky Cougars. They finished over 50 percent (28 of 54) from the field, the fourth time in five games with such a high percentage.BIG PICTUREWake Forest: The Demon Deacons have a large group of athletic young players like sophomores Bryant Crawford, Keyshawn Woods and John Collins and freshman Brandon Childress who all saw extensive action at the Charleston Classic -- minutes that will serve them well once Atlantic Coast Conference play starts in five weeks or so. The 6-foot-10 Collins has led the Demon Deacons in four of five games this season, including all three at TD Arena this week.College of Charleston: The Cougars have to find their scoring touch if they hope to make a run in the Colonial Athletic Association this winter. Charleston shot less than 29 percent in a loss to UCF on Friday night and was struggling to make shots once more against Wake Forest.LOTS OF DEACONSWake Forest coach Danny Manning used 11 players, in part because of early foul trouble for starters Dinos Mitoglou and John Collins. Still, the team got solid showings from players not typically in the rotation. I really like our balance, Manning said. For us to get a win with John only playing 14 minutes and Dinos only 17, I think that speaks volumes to the balance we have on our team.COLD CHARLESTONCollege of Charleston struggled with its shooting throughout the tournament, something the Cougars know must improve in a hurry. Its early, Charleston guard Joe Chealey said. Its only the first five games of the season. Weve got to trust the process.UP NEXTWake Forest returns home to play Coastal Carolina on Wednesday night.College of Charleston travels to No. 3 Villanova on Wednesday night.---More AP college basketball: www.collegebasketball.ap.org ' ' '