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Peter James Butler (born 27 August 1966) is an English professional football player and coach who is currently the head coach of the Bangladesh women's national team. As a player, he made more than 450 appearances in the Football League and the Premier League. He then took up coaching, first in England and then in Australia and South-East Asia. He was in charge of the Botswana national team from 2014 until 2017.

Playing career

Butler played as a midfielder for Huddersfield Town, Cambridge United, Bury, Southend United, West Ham United, Notts County, Grimsby Town, West Bromwich Albion and Halifax Town.

Coaching career

After a spell as caretaker manager of Halifax Town, Butler moved to Australia where he became player-manager of Sorrento FC 2000–2002, where he set up their academy. He then coached in Singapore with the Singapore Armed Forces Football Club (SAFFC), in Malaysia with Sabah FA, in Indonesia with Persiba Balikpapan, and then back to Malaysia as coach of Kelantan FA. In September 2009, Butler signed a one-year contract as Technical Director and Head Coach of Yangon United FC of Myanmar. In September 2010 Butler became head coach of Thai Premier League team BEC Tero Sasana F.C. He is the holder of a UEFA Pro Licence Qualification. Butler returned to Kelantan to become head coach for the second time in November 2011. He guided the team to the top of the League. However, Butler left stating he could no longer work for Annuar Musa as he was unhappy with the signing of players above his head. Butler was immediately hired by Indonesian Super league side Persiba Balikpapan whom he coached in 2006-08 and led them into the newly formed ISL. He reportedly resigned from Persiba in May 2012, but his resignation is challenged by the club.

Terengganu and T-Team

He officially took over the head coach role at Terengganu FA, from Mat Zan Mat Aris on 1 June 2012, although he had already performed his duties as Terengganu head coach before the date. As head coach Butler reprimanded two players for returning from a night out at 3am on a morning before a match. He actions were mainly backed by the Malaysian public. However the club's management did not support his stance leading to a six-month ban, RM4,000 fine, 15 per cent cut on monthly salary and the termination of his contract.

The penalties received by Butler were considered by the public to be unjust and a means of simply removing him from the club. He was left with 15 months payment on his contract outstanding. The Football Association of Malaysia declared their intent to investigate the situation.

On 18 October, Football Association of Malaysia's disciplinary board completely exonerated Butler of any charges, quashed the suspension imposed on him and publicly condemned the Terengganu FA of bringing shame to the FAM, the TFA were ordered to pay Butler the remaining months on his contract.

Botswana

In February 2014, Butler was appointed manager of the Botswana national team. His first International game was against South Sudan. He won the game three nil with a relatively new young inexperienced squad. He was mostly praised for giving a nineteen years old Ditsile his full debut against Burundi in the AFCON 2015 preliminaries. Botswana went on to knock out Burundi & Guinea Bisau to reach the group stages of the AFCON, with a new team giving debuts to many young players. They lost to a last minute penalty in Tunisia and gave a very strong Senegal team a fright, only losing to a late deflected goal. They have since earn credible results beating Tanzania, Lesotho and drawing against a strong Angolan team in Luanda. Butler has revitalised the Botswana team playing an exciting brand of footballconsequently coming under the radar of some of the bigger teams in African football.

When asked about Botswana in an interview, Butler said that "It's a beautiful country, and the raw passion that Botswanans have for the game is unbelievable. In fact, most of Africa has such an incredibly deep love and enthusiasm for football. You can really feel it when you spend time here."

In February 2017 he was one of a number of managers on the shortlist for the vacant Rwanda national team manager role.

Butler resigned from the Botswana job in June 2017, and within days was appointed as the new head coach of Platinum Stars in South Africa's Premier Soccer League. He departed the position in September 2017.

Liberia

On 21 August 2019, he was appointed as manager of the Liberia national football team.

BFF Elite Football Academy

On 23 November 2023, he was appointed as coach of the BFF Elite Football Academy which is directly operated by Bangladesh Football Federation. When asked about the job, he said that he needed a new challenge and a change. He was scheduled to take charge of the academy from 1 January 2024. However, he officially took control of the academy from 18 January 2024.

Bangladesh women's national team

In March 2024, Butler was made the temporary head coach of the Bangladesh women's national football team while also coaching at the BFF Elite Football Academy. Eventually, following the conclusion of the 2023–24 Bangladesh Championship League, he was made the permanent head coach and departed from his role at the Academy. Eventually, he was made permanent head coach and departed from his role at the Academy.

On 31 May 2024, Bangladesh lost 0–4 to Chinese Taipei in his first game incharge.

References

1. "Kelantan, Negeri pursue Malaysia Cup history". New Sabah Times. 6 November 2009. Archived from the original on 7 November 2009. Retrieved 10 January 2010.
2. ^ "Peter Butler". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Archived from the original on 21 April 2005. Retrieved 10 January 2010.
3. "BFF ropes in Englishman Butler as academy coach". New Age. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
4. "Women's team head Butler praises young guns ahead of Chinese Taipei ties". Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
5. Dasey, Jason (2 July 2009). "No ifs or Butts for Pete about Asia". Soccernet. ESPN. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 10 January 2010.
6. Samuel, Eric (19 September 2009). "Butler serves a bombshell, quits as Kelantan coach". The Star (Malaysia). Retrieved 10 January 2010.
7. "Bitter Butler wishes Kelantan all the best". The Malay Mail. 4 November 2009. Archived from the original on 3 June 2011. Retrieved 10 January 2010.
8. "Peter Butler claims that import players selection is out of his hands". Goal.com. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
9. "ANTARA News - Kaltim: Portal Berita Kalimantan Timur". Kaltim.antaranews.com. Retrieved 15 October 2012.
10. "Butler Bakal Dilaporkan Ke FIFA Oleh Persiba - Sports News Portal". Bolanews.com. Archived from the original on 16 May 2012. Retrieved 15 October 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
11. Muhammad, Zainuddin (15 May 2012). "Terengganu put faith in much-travelled Butler - Soccer - New Straits Times". Nst.com.my. Retrieved 15 October 2012.
12. "Football Every Day » Coach Butler aims to turn Terengganu into an offensive force". Football.thestar.com.my. 15 May 2012. Archived from the original on 16 May 2012. Retrieved 15 October 2012.
13. "Butler's suspension could mean termination of his contract". The Star. Archived from the original on 19 February 2013. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
14. "Butler waiting for FAM's call". NST. Archived from the original on 18 November 2012. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
15. "Butler and Terengganu FA settle long-running saga amicably". The Star. Archived from the original on 21 February 2013. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
16. "Butler's ban null and void". The Star. Archived from the original on 20 October 2012. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
17. "Butler and TFA to settle sacking issue by Sunday". The Star. Archived from the original on 9 November 2012. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
18. "Butler appointed as Botswana coach". BBC. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
19. Oluwashina Okeleji (14 February 2017). "Samson Siasia and Winfried Schafer on Rwanda coach shortlist". BBC Sport. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
20. "Butler brought in at Platinum Stars". ESPN. 13 June 2017. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
21. "Platinum Stars sack Butler, confirm Roger De Sa as new head coach". Times (South Africa). 8 September 2017.
22. "Liberia: Peter James Butler Unveiled as Lone Star's New Coach". FrontPageAfrica. 22 August 2019. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
23. "BFF could hire former West Ham midfielder as development coach". www.dailystar.net. 23 November 2023. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
24. "Who is BFF Elite Academy coach Butler with experience of managing two national teams?".
25. "এলিট একাডেমির দায়িত্বে বৃটিশ কোচ!". offsidebangladesh (in Bengali). 24 November 2023. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
26. "New BFF academy coach Butler: I'm here to help Bangladesh football". Dhaka Tribune. 18 January 2024. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
27. "Women's team head Butler praises young guns ahead of Chinese Taipei ties". Dhaka Tibune. 30 May 2024. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
28. "Bangladesh go down 4-0 against Chinese Taipei". The Daily Star. 31 May 2024. Retrieved 19 June 2024.

External links

• Peter Butler at Soccerbase
• Peter Butler Interview
• Peter Butler: International Man of Football

• 1966 births
• Living people
• Men's association football midfielders
• Botswana national football team managers
• Bury F.C. players
• Cambridge United F.C. players
• English Football League players
• English football managers
• English men's footballers
• Malaysia Super League managers
• Indonesia Super League managers
• Liga 1 (Indonesia) managers
• Expatriate football managers in Botswana
• Expatriate football managers in Malaysia
• Expatriate football managers in Indonesia
• Expatriate football managers in Thailand
• Expatriate football managers in Bangladesh
• Expatriate soccer managers in Australia
• Expatriate soccer managers in South Africa
• Expatriate men's soccer players in Australia
• English expatriate sportspeople in Botswana
• English expatriate sportspeople in Malaysia
• English expatriate sportspeople in Indonesia
• English expatriate sportspeople in Thailand
• English expatriate sportspeople in Australia
• English expatriate sportspeople in South Africa
• English expatriate sportspeople in Bangladesh
• Footballers from Halifax, West Yorkshire
• Grimsby Town F.C. players
• Halifax Town A.F.C. managers
• Halifax Town A.F.C. players
• Huddersfield Town A.F.C. players
• Liberia national football team managers
• Notts County F.C. players
• Persiba Balikpapan managers
• Persipura Jayapura managers
• Platinum Stars F.C. managers
• Police Tero F.C. managers
• Premier League players
• Sabah F.C. (Malaysia) managers
• Sorrento FC players
• Southend United F.C. players
• West Bromwich Albion F.C. players
• West Ham United F.C. players
• Bangladesh women's national football team
• Association football managers by women's national team