Bangladesh women’s football coach Peter Butler has voiced his frustration over the absence of home fixtures, admitting that his team face an uphill task when competing abroad.
As Bangladesh prepare for their second friendly against Thailand, Butler was asked whether his side could overcome the hosts. Instead of a prediction, he offered a question in return: “When was the last time Bangladesh beat Thailand?”
In the opening match of the two-game series, Bangladesh were comfortably beaten 3–0, failing to impose themselves against a Thai side ranked 51 places higher and boasting two World Cup appearances. The rematch, set for 27 October at the Chalem Phra Kiat Sports Centre in Bangkok, kicks off at 5pm Bangladesh time and represents a chance for improvement.
Butler admitted that his team must address lapses in concentration that cost them early in the first game. “We’ve made some tactical changes, but there are still areas to fix,” he said. “We made basic errors — conceding in the first 45 seconds put us under immense pressure straight away.”
The English coach also pointed out that Bangladesh have not played a home match since June last year, when they faced Chinese Taipei. “There are many elements that influence a result in football. I don’t like to blame anyone or make excuses,” he said. “But winning at home is always easier than trying to do it abroad.”
Disappointed with his players’ mentality after the initial defeat, Butler held individual discussions to realign their focus. “I’m happy with their approach now,” he explained. “There are one or two players I see as genuine match-winners, but they didn’t show their potential in the first match.”
Recognising the gulf in quality between the two sides, Butler remained pragmatic. “We’re not at Thailand’s level. They’re a very good team, and they’ll prove that again. Even their substitutes looked strong enough to form another team,” he said. “We have to stay realistic.”
Bangladesh’s only previous meeting with Thailand came more than a decade ago — a 9–0 defeat. Yet Butler insisted that the focus should remain on gradual progress. “If we want to raise standards and become more professional, we need to reach that level first,” he said. “Before dreaming big, we must get to a stage where coming to Thailand and believing we can win feels realistic. What matters most is that we’re building momentum.”
