Butler’s Controversy Clouds Women’s Football

Controversy, professionalism concerns, and accusations of arbitrariness continue to surround Peter Butler, head coach of the Bangladesh women’s national football team. The British coach, who led the team to a second consecutive SAFF Women’s Championship title, has faced open dissent from 18 players. Although intervention by the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) temporarily eased tensions, five SAFF-winning players have not been recalled to the national squad.

It appears that Butler’s displeasure has directly affected the selection of star players such as Sabina Khatun, Masura Parvin, Matsushima Sumaiya, Krishna Rani, and Sanjida Akter—athletes who notably delivered Bangladesh’s first-ever futsal title. Despite these achievements, they remain absent from the ongoing national camp preparing for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup.

Meanwhile, Butler has taken responsibility for the U-19 SAFF team, which suffered a disappointing 4–0 defeat in the final. In a move that drew criticism, he did not hold a post-match press conference but issued a brief written statement later, attributing the loss to player fatigue. “The players appeared mentally and physically exhausted. Although I tried to keep them fresh before the match, they were not in optimal condition,” he stated.

Such behaviour is consistent with Butler’s prior approach to coaching in Bangladesh: he is quick to claim credit for victories but tends to shift blame to players when results falter. Questions have been raised about how a team that comfortably defeated the same opposition in the league could succumb to such a heavy defeat just three days later. Beyond the scoreline, the incident has sparked debate about Butler’s judgement and leadership.

Last year, Bangladesh earned a historic berth in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup, delivering strong performances in the qualifiers held in Myanmar. The team will now face three of Asia’s strongest sides—nine-time champions China, three-time champions North Korea, and Uzbekistan—in the tournament proper. While the national team should have been Butler’s primary focus, he opted to oversee the youth squad in Nepal, making controversial decisions that ignored experienced players. For instance, despite being in form, Sabina and Masura were overlooked in favour of Swedish-based Anika Rania Siddiqui, who was selected after only a brief trial.

Returning from Pokhara to Dhaka, Butler will resume responsibilities with the senior team, preparing players such as Afida, Maria, and Tahura for upcoming fixtures in Australia. Yet, experts warn that if this pattern of arbitrary selection and lack of accountability persists, it could negatively impact Bangladesh’s performance in the AFC Women’s Cup.

Summary of Butler’s Recent Actions