‘Mile is like Elvis Presley but she is a soldier,’ Butler hails rising keeper

Bangladesh women’s football team head coach Peter James Butler threw his full support behind goalkeeper Mile Akter on Thursday, praising her style, character, and bravery after handing her a surprise start at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup debut.

Butler even compared the young shot-stopper to a global music icon.

“Mile is a bit like Elvis Presley; she has a great style,” he said with a smile.

“She has the best hairstyle in this tournament. We were talking about it this morning.”

The 59-year old coach also revealed a lesser-known detail about the player’s background.

“Above all, she comes from a disciplined background because she is a soldier, facts many people don’t know.”

However, Mile had been waiting patiently for her opportunity on the national side, as Butler highlighted.

“She had been waiting for her chance for a long time, and the only reason she hadn’t played sooner was that we didn’t have any matches,” the coach explained.

The English tactician also pointed to the lack of preparation games before Bangladesh’s opening match against China PR.

“Before the China match, we had no preparation games for about 90 to 100 days, which is unfortunate,” he said.

Butler insisted he did not need to justify starting the young netminder.

“I don’t have to justify this decision. I think there is a major issue with goalkeeping in Bangladesh football that needs addressing,” he noted.

While acknowledging the broader challenge, Butler emphasised his role in discovering and backing new talent.

“It’s not my job to do that; what I can do is find new talent and be brave enough to give opportunities to young players like Mile,” Butler noted.

He believes the young goalkeeper earned her chance through both ability and personality.

“She deserved this chance because she has the height, good hands, and she’s a great character,” Butler concluded.