BFF keen to retain Butler

Mahfuza Akhter Kiron, chairman of Bangladesh Football Federation's (BFF) women's wing, voiced strong support for head coach Peter Butler despite recent tensions between him and senior players surfacing over team selection during the winning campaign in Nepal.

Under Butler, Bangladesh successfully defended their SAFF Women's Championship title, showcasing impressive performances since the former West Ham player took charge in March.

"I requested Butler to wait until November 2, when I come back from the AFC Congress in Korea. I will sit with him on November 3 to learn everything that happened in Nepal during the Championship to resolve the problem. We don't want to lose him, even after his contract comes to an end in December, because he is the best coach we've ever hired," Kiron told The Daily Star over the phone from Korea on Thursday.

Addressing the alleged rift between the players and English coach, Kiron made it clear that if the players are at fault, they will face consequences, as the coach has the authority to decide the lineup.

"Former coach Golam Rabbani Choton had the same authority, and we never interfered," added Kiron, who was recently re-elected as a BFF executive member, further mentioning that she held online meetings with the coaching staff and players before the crucial match against India, with Butler keeping her updated from Nepal.

BFF had made promises to support the women's team after their first SAFF Championship victory in 2022, but not all were fulfilled over the past two years. Currently, 32 players are under contract with BFF, receiving monthly salaries between Tk 15,000 and Tk 50,000. These contracts were initially for six months but were later extended by three months, with the current term ending in October.

BFF also launched a women's football league, though it has not reached the same level as Bangladesh Premier League due to a lack of strong teams.

"We tried to involve major clubs like Bashundhara Kings, Abahani, Mohammedan SC, and Sheikh Jamal DC, but without success. This year, we'll make every effort to strengthen the league," Kiron said.

She added that BFF plans to introduce a franchise-based Bangladesh Women's Super League, an initiative that stalled last year, and will also keep youth tournaments rolling.