Butler Criticises BFF’s Preparation Ahead Australia

For the first time in history, the Bangladesh women’s football team will depart for Australia tonight at 2:00 am to participate in the final stage of the AFC Asian Cup. Ahead of their departure, a press conference was held at the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) headquarters this afternoon, where the team’s English coach, Peter Butler, delivered a series of candid and explosive remarks regarding the team’s preparation and internal challenges.

Butler openly criticised the BFF for organisational shortcomings, highlighting deficiencies in the team’s preparation and questioning the federation’s footballing expertise. “Perhaps not everyone at this federation understands football at the required level,” he said. “As in life, so in football. Often, results are used to paper over cracks. But the matter isn’t merely scoring two goals in the first ten minutes and another two in the next twenty. The real challenge is building a performance standard that is credible, consistent, and can serve as a foundation for the future.”

Preparation Challenges and Federation Interventions

Bangladesh had suffered a 4–0 defeat to India in the SAFF U-19 Women’s final on 7 February in Pokhara, Nepal. Prior to the match, Mahfuza Akhter, head of BFF’s women’s wing, instructed the players to score in the first ten minutes and then again in the following ten. According to team sources, this directive added pressure, which contributed to conceding four goals.

Butler cited his mother’s proverb to contextualise his approach: “My mother used to say, ‘the fewer words you speak, the fewer problems arise.’ But sometimes, truth must be spoken. Much has been misrepresented about our preparation. I am not pointing fingers, but our plans have not been implemented effectively.”

He added, “I have worked in Liberia, Botswana, England, and Malaysia. I am not anyone’s puppet. When things go wrong, everyone blames Butler or my strategy. I am ready to be accountable for this team, but people must stop spreading falsehoods to the media first.”

Domestic League Priority Over International Preparation

Since December, no preparation matches have been conducted, which Butler directly attributes to BFF’s priorities. He explained that scheduled international fixtures were compromised by domestic league matches:

“But I live in the real world, not a fairy tale. League matches were prioritised over national team preparation, which is far from ideal. I prefer being proactive rather than reactive,” he added.

Promising Young Talent

Butler expressed satisfaction with the performances of young players Alpi, Preeti, and Umela, noting in particular that Preeti has returned with renewed vigour. “The youngsters are now pressing the seniors, which is a positive sign. However, mistakes against stronger teams such as Uzbekistan, China, or North Korea could prove costly,” he warned.

Mahfuza Akhter, present at the conference, acknowledged the preparation gaps, stating, “Preparation could have been better. Sending players abroad for training or more practice matches would have helped. But I do not make decisions alone; senior officials are also involved.”

The BFF had initially planned a short training camp in Thailand with a preparatory match before proceeding to Sydney. Both plans were cancelled, leaving Bangladesh to enter the AFC Asian Cup facing a competitive challenge with limited preparation.