Platinum Stars have moved swiftly to fill the void left by Cavin Johnson by appointing Englishman Peter Butler as their new head coach on Thursday evening.
Butler was in charge of the Botswana national team, but resigned from the post on Wednesday in order to move to Dikwena.
Johnson’s contract came to an end following the 2016/17 season, and Platinum Stars announced on June 5 that they would not renew it, despite them finishing third in the Absa Premiership in the 2015/16 campaign, and ninth last season.
The 50-year-old Butler, who has signed a two-year deal, is a well-travelled coach, having gone from his home club Halifax Town in northern England to such exotic destinations as Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar and Thailand.
A midfielder at a number of English clubs, including West Ham and West Bromwich Albion in the 1990s, Butler ended his playing career in 2000 with Halifax Town.
He took over at Botswana in 2014, and will start his new job on July 1 after agreeing terms with Platinum Stars chairman Cliff Ramoroa on Thursday.
“We have gone through a number of coaches throughout the country and other nations, and we found Butler a worthy candidate,” said Ramoroa in a club statement. “We interviewed a number of coaches, and eventually Peter Butler came out tops out of the list of the coaches that we had. His appointment shows our intentions to go to another level.”
Butler added: “I am excited to join Platinum Stars. This is a very well-run club administratively. I have been to the club’s campus before. I have always been impressed with the club’s facilities and hospitality. What excites me here is the opportunity to build a balanced team with youth and experience.”