'It's about getting it done': Butler backs Bangladesh despite struggles

Sometimes, football is not about how well you play but about finding a way to get the job done.

According to coach Peter Butler, the Bangladesh women's team have done exactly that at the SAFF Women's Championship in Goa, as the women in red and green booked a third successive final despite producing performances well below the standards they have set in recent years.

"We've got to the final. You never know what you're gonna get. And sometimes the best final, you can have a lousy final. We will play a lot better than how we played today [Wednesday] and can still lose, believe me. Or, we'll play a lot well, and…. I often say it to people. It's not about how you played, it's how you did it," Butler told reporters after Bangladesh's hard-fought semifinal win over Nepal on Wednesday.

After getting past the Nepal hurdle, Bangladesh's players and coaching staff appeared to regain some confidence and shed some of the pressure that had built up following three successive unconvincing displays. A sense of vibrancy has returned among the girls in red and green as they stand one match away from a historic hattrick of SAFF titles.

The expectations surrounding this team are naturally high. Bangladesh raised the bar themselves by winning back-to-back SAFF Women's Championship crowns and qualifying for the top-tier AFC Women's Asian Cup, where they put up commendable performances against China, North Korea and Uzbekistan.

Yet, despite securing another place in the regional final, their displays in Goa have fallen short of those lofty standards.

Bangladesh have struggled particularly in defence and midfield, with Butler having far fewer options on the bench than in previous campaigns. The British coach has been unable to rotate and reshuffle with the same flexibility he once enjoyed.

The difference has been evident in midfield. Bangladesh looked dominant whenever Maria Manda and Monika Chakma combined effectively alongside players such as Umehela Marma, Sopna Rani or Munki Akter.

This time, however, Maria has often been left to carry the midfield burden alone. Monika has been battling injury, while Sopna and Munki are not part of the squad. Effective winger Ritu Porna Chakma has also struggled to find her rhythm, apart from the crucial goal that helped Bangladesh reach the semifinal.

Butler, however, believes the current struggles are part of a broader rebuilding process.

"We've got a few players who are coming to maybe their ends, and we've got a few players who are restarting. Bearing in mind they are a lot older team than us. We had a lot of 18-year-olds in that group," said the 59-year-old.

"What I'm trying is to build for the future of Bangladesh. I'm not using old players. I'm using younger players to build for the future."

The coach had excluded several senior players following unrest within the squad in early 2025, while promising youngsters Sopna Rani and Munki Akter were also left out due to poor form.

As a result, Butler has found it difficult to settle on his best starting eleven. Injuries to Monika Chakma, Sheuli Azim and Shamsunnahar Jr, coupled with Ritu Porna's poor form, have further limited his options.

The semifinal against Nepal highlighted those problems. Butler made three changes to his starting lineup but replaced two of those players within the first 40 minutes. He was then forced into another adjustment after substitute Monika suffered a fresh knock in the second half.

The defensive unit has also exposed Bangladesh's lack of depth. There are hardly any like-for-like replacements for key performers such as Shamsunnahar Sr, Afeida Khandokar, Kohati Kisku and Suravi Akter Arfin. Afeida's replacement, Surma Jannat, conceded a penalty against India, underlining the challenges Butler faces when trying to alter the course of a match.

"I'm not a monster. I don't drop people or basically leave people out for the sake of it, I do it for a reason….sometimes the less you play, the more you prosper," Butler said while explaining Afeida's omission against India before restoring her to the starting lineup against Nepal.

Despite Bangladesh's progression to the final, there is little doubt they will need a significant improvement if they are to overcome India on June 6. The hosts defeated Bangladesh 3-0 in the group stage and will start as favourites.

Still, Butler remains optimistic.

His side may not have impressed throughout the tournament, but they have survived, advanced and kept alive their dream of a third consecutive SAFF title. And if Bangladesh can find a way to get the job done one more time, the manner of the performance may ultimately matter less than the result itself.