SPORTS REPORTER

SAFF Championship winning coach Peter Butler will stay on, for the time being, as the head coach of Bangladesh national women’s football team, confirmed Bangladesh Football Federation’s (BFF) women’s wing chairman Mahfuza Akter Kiron.

The Englishman, who arrived in Bangladesh as coach of BFF Elite Academy before taking over as women’s team coach in March last year, saw his contract run out at the end of last year. Butler had been embroiled in controversy during the triumphant SAFF campaign in October last year over his prejudice against senior players.

Butler, who left for England following the tournament, had said he was open to talks over contract extension but Kiron had maintained that she wanted to keep the Englishman in charge, reportedly against the wish of a majority of the players.

While there has been no official contract extension with the federation as yet, Kiron informed that Butler will stay on as the coach of the team and will return to Bangladesh in February.

“Peter butler will stay on as our head coach. He will join the team’s training camp in February,” Kiron told reporters at the BFF House on Saturday.

The women’s wing chairman further informed that the players will return to the camp on January 15 for the Asian Cup Qualifiers in June.

“The national women’s team’s camp will resume on January 15… They would start the camp with the March window in sight. We also have AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers in June,” Kiron added.