Butler says ‘will not be forced to work with disruptive players’

Bangladesh national women's football team's coach Peter Butler on Sunday said that he would not be forced to work with "disruptive players" after Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) earlier in the day claimed to have convinced the 18 rebel players to join training following a break.

BFF women's wing chairman Mahfuza Akter Kiron, in a press briefing, told reporters that the 18 players, who have been boycotting training under Butler, will return to training once the camp resumes after the UAE tour. She also said the players have agreed to sign contracts, but that will happen following discussions with the coaching staff, team management and BFF's higher authorities.

However, asked whether she had spoken to Butler regarding the issue, the women's wing chairman said she was yet to do so.

When contacted for a comment on what Kiron said, Butler said he had no idea about what was being said, but expressed his opinion regarding the whole affair.

"I'm far from stupid and understand there is a game being played to protect certain individuals… Certain players within the 18, I admire their footballing abilities and (they) were coerced by certain individuals outside and inside the group, male and female," the British coach said in reply to a text message, without naming the individuals who might have coerced the players.  

The 18 senior players have continued their boycott of the British coach since he returned to Bangladesh on January 29, and media reports suggested the coach was especially reserved about a few certain senior players in the camp regarding their fitness and discipline.

While Kiron said that she believes that the girls have realised their mistakes and the misunderstandings between the two parties, Butler was not ready to an entirely optimistic view of the development. Having already worked with 12 players from the original camp plus 25 more from the under-20 camp for the upcoming UAE tour, the 58-year-old Englishman implied he will not tolerate any indiscipline or disruption even if he works with the aforementioned rebel players.

"I will not be pushed or forced to work with disruptive players whilst we have such hardworking and humble players coming through the 20s," Butler said.