“First, I think Jack Buckland is a superior goalkeeper. Secondly, I have a very, very good relationship with Jack.
“I know Jack for a long time. He was a small child who comes to Birmingham when I went to play for Birmingham in the Premier League.
“Thirdly, I must know that he is hurting Jack and I have to take that into account too. Because I worry about him.”
Ferguson felt that “I only had to make a decision”, with Butland one of the six changes on the side that collapsed to a fifth defeat in the first time in the history of the club.
“It was a difficult decision when I talked to him,” he said. “I could see what I was suffering. You are with decisions.
“It is not one that I decided on Saturday night or Sunday. I thought a lot and much about it.
“When I talked to him, it was a difficult 10-15 minutes conversation. But, he listens, Jack still has an important role to play here.”
The rangers, sitting second and possibly need a victory to delay the party for the title of the city rivals, Celtic, travel to face Aberdeen on Sunday before the first leg next Thursday in Spain.
It could be asked to Kelly of 29 years to continue in the goal after making a couple of other fine stops in addition to diverting the late position of Alex Berenguer over the crossbar when the Rangers remained to attract a game in which they had a propperus of Robin Center after only 13 minutes.
“In terms that Liam entered, I thought I had done well tonight,” Ferguson added.
