‘Not good for the game’: Butler blasts dangerous playing conditions

Bangladesh secured a convincing 4-1 win over Bhutan in the SAFF U-20 Women's Championship on Tuesday, but the victory was overshadowed by bizarre scenes that saw the match played across two different venues due to heavy rain.

Head coach Peter Butler did not hold back his frustration after the game, describing the situation as unprecedented and potentially hazardous for the players.

"Well, it was a tale of two halves, wasn't it? First half and second half," Butler said. "It's the first time I've started the first half on one field in a stadium and finished the second half on another field. You just can't coach that. There's no way in this world you can actually put a plan together. It's just kick and rush in that."

The downpour during the first half left the pitch at the Bashundhara Kings Arena waterlogged, forcing officials into an unusual decision to shift the remainder of the match to the nearby Bashundhara Sports Ground, an unused venue with better pitch condition.

The Englishman, who started the match with nine of his regular starters on bench, said he was genuinely worried about the safety of the players, 

"It's not good for the game," Butler continued. "I've come to this part of the world to try and help grow the game, grow legs, improve the game, and give it some momentum moving forwards. But that is damaging, because in my opinion it was dangerous for player welfare."

Butler said he had raised concerns before kickoff about the pitch conditions but felt they were not acted upon quickly enough. "I told the referees and the match officials before the game that the pitch wasn't fit to play," he said. "But three hours afterwards, it came to a sensible, pragmatic decision. Moving it was common sense, and I'm glad we managed to finish the game and build some momentum in the second half."