BFF could hire former West Ham midfielder as development coach

Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) is considering to appoint former West Ham United midfielder Peter James Butler as the development coach of the BFF Elite Academy, informed BFF president Kazi Salahuddin.

"The discussion about various aspects has been going on with him [Butler] for the last few days. If we agree, he will come in next month as the development coach," Salahuddin told The Daily Star on Thursday.

Butler, currently associated with an African club as per BFF, has played over 450 matches in English domestic football league. The 56-year-old coach also has the experience of coaching in different clubs and national teams, including Botswana and Liberia.

"There are lots of academies across the country, but no professional football academy. We have an Elite Academy that is doing well, but they are now without a coach. So, we're hiring a coach who has playing experience in English Premier League and coaching different teams," the BFF boss added.

"If he joins us, he will work with the next batch of players to strengthen the pipeline of the national team as we don't inherit players rather than those who are coming up because of league regulation for the last 12 years," Salahuddin said, adding that he wants to form a "family" between coaches in different sectors who would assist each other.

"We will create a group of coaches who will sit all together with the technical director, women's coach, men's coach," Salahuddin further said, hinting that former technical director Paul Smalley may be reappointed in the post as well as operate as the head coach of the women's national football team.