Peter Butler has made it clear that Bangladesh are entering the upcoming women’s tri-nation series with development as the priority rather than individual names. Speaking at a press conference at the BFF House on Monday, the head coach refused to discuss senior figures such as Sabina or Mansura, saying he is focused on performance and growth.
“We have just finished 22 days of training at EPZ and it has been a great learning experience for the girls,” Butler said. “There will be bumps along the way. Football is volatile, but this is a massive learning curve. We do not want highs and lows. We want continuous progress.”
When asked about Sabina and Mansura, Butler dismissed the topic immediately with a single word: “No.” He then instructed the media not to raise questions about them further. The coach has previously spoken of the squad’s physical readiness after recent defeats to Thailand, stressing that players who are not ready will not be selected, regardless of past reputation.
The series will serve as preparation for next year’s AFC Women’s Asian Cup in Australia. Bangladesh will face Malaysia and European side Azerbaijan, ranked 92 and 74 respectively, while Bangladesh currently sit 104. Although the opponents are ahead in rankings, Mahfuza Akhter Kiron, head of the BFF women’s wing, believes the team are well prepared.
“This series is mainly a set of practice matches,” Kiron stated. “We had exclusive training in Chattogram, and preparation has been strong. We will go out to win and play competitive football.”
Butler reinforced that approach, insisting that players must prove themselves through performance, not reputation. “We are not copying and pasting. People do not select themselves anymore. Everyone has to raise their game. If we improve by even one or two per cent, it is a step in the right direction. That applies to players, technical staff and even those within the federation.”
Captain Afieda Khandakar expressed optimism despite the challenge. “We trained well in Chattogram and now have all the players together. Malaysia and Azerbaijan are ahead in the rankings, but we will try our best to win both matches.”
Bangladesh have never faced a European team at senior women’s level before. Azerbaijan will arrive on Tuesday and are scheduled to play Malaysia first on 29 November, before meeting Bangladesh on 2 December. Malaysia land today and take on the hosts the day after tomorrow at the national stadium.
While Butler stressed that these matches are part of a long-term process, he indicated that the team are ready to compete, not just participate. “We are on the right road. Of course we expect positive results. Conceding goals against stronger sides like Korea or Thailand happens. I live in the real world.”
Federation officials did not clarify whether the series will feature a formal trophy presentation. Following the series, the squad will return to Chattogram before heading to Malaysia for joint senior and U-20 training sessions and preparation matches against club and national teams.
