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Tuesday, 8 May 2007, 20:41 GMT 21:41 UK

Butcher - no regrets on Oz stint

Terry Butcher Terry Butcher says that the challenge of managing Sydney FC will hold him in good stead for the future.

Butcher - speaking on Radio Scotland's 'Two on One' feature - headed to Australia following a four-year spell as boss of Motherwell.

The 48-year-old was sacked by the Australian club after eight months in charge and some poor results.

"There were so many hurdles I thought about entering the team in the Olympics," he said on his time there.

Butcher - who has just returned to club management with League Two side Brentford - claims that there were so many obstacles put in his way it made his situation ridiculous.

"It's nice to have been able to have coached abroad"
Terry Butcher

"We got over every hurdle that was put our way," he added.

"It was farcical in some respects as we had three points taken off us because of a salary breach the year before.

"The players were being punished for that and towards the end of the campaign it forced us down from second to fourth.

"We then had to get a point away to Queensland in the last game of the season and we managed that.

"But we only had a squad of 17 players so it was very difficult.

"The culture is also totally different so you have to get used to that.

"It's nice to have been able to have coached abroad though and you don't get more abroad than Australia."

Terry Butcher

An England and Rangers legend as a player, Butcher arrived at Motherwell as assistant to then boss Eric Black before administration took hold of the Fir Park club.

19 players lost their jobs at the club during the staff cull as the Steelmen fought for survival - in more ways than one.

Butcher admits those were testing times.

"It was difficult but to be fair to the people at Motherwell they were fantastic to me and the board were immense," he went on.

"We had a huge slice of luck because we finished bottom of the league and Falkirk couldn't come up.

"That wasn't confirmed until June 23 and I was on a cruise ship in the Carribean.

"If we had been relegated I would have probably jumped off, but we flew back still in the SPL.

"At that time, it was 'jumpers for goalposts' wherever we trained.

"But Motherwell was a dream come true for me."




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Related to this story:

The Two on One Interviews (22 May 07 |  Scotland )
Butcher named as Brentford boss (24 Apr 07 |  Brentford )

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