Monrovia – Credible reports reaching FrontpageAfrica Sports Desk say English coach Peter James Butler is set to be appointed as head coach of Liberia senior national football team.
If and when Butler, a former Botswana and Platinum Star, a South African football team, coach is named, he would become the permanent successor to Thomas Kojo, who according to reports was told via mobile phone that his services were no longer needed. He was also allegedly told to return the LFA vehicle.
According to our source, the 52-year-old Englishman arrived in the country Tuesday, August 20.
FrontPageAfrica had earlier reported that the FA was in negotiations with French coach Pierre Mankowski to take over the Lone Star but the deal didn’t go through due to some personal and financial reasons.
But the FA has turned its attention to Butler, who is expected to discuss personal terms and finalize his contract before being unveiled and appointed as the new head coach of Lone Star.
According to BBC Sports, the Englishman was understood to have agreed a salary in the tone of US$8,300 per month in 2014 when he coached the national team of Botswana.
The Englishman, if appointed, will take immediate charge of the training next week Tuesday from coach Robert Lartey who had being in charge of training sessions with the local base squad behind close door ahead of the world Cup qualifiers with Sierra Leone.
Brief profile of Peter James Butler
Butler is an English coach who has worked in Africa and Asia in different capacities.
From 1999-2000, Butler was caretaker coach of English football league side Halifax Town, he then, moved to Australian side Sorrento FC where he became player coach in 2000 and setup their academy.
In 2009, he was Technical Director and head coach of Yangon United FC in Myanmar. Butler, who is a holder of a UEFA Pro License, was appointed in 2014 as the head coach of Botswana where relative young squad reached the Group stages of AFCON 2015 qualifiers after knockout Burundi and Guinea Bissau in the preliminaries round.
Butler resigned as coach of the Botswana in 2017 and was later appointed as the head coach of Platinum Star in the South African Premier League but departed the position in September the same year.
Controversial Moment
Butler taking charge of his second spell as coach of Kelantan in 2011 left the club after he states that he could not work with Annuar Musa as he was unhappy with the club signing of players above his head.
Following his resignation, he was hired by Indonesia Super league side Persiba Balikpapan but resigned from the club controversially in 2012.
However, the club challenge his resignation.
Butler took charge as head coach at Terengganu FA on June 1, 2012 and reprimanded two players two for returning from a night out at 3AM before a match.
Butler actions was backed by the public but the club’s management did not support his stance which led to a six-month ban and fined RM 4,000 which is equivalent to US$962, 15 percent of his monthly salary and the termination of his contract.
The situation was investigated by the Malaysian’s disciplinary board and he was exonerated charges, and the club ordered to pay his remaining of his two months salary.