Jamaica U-23 representative, Kyle Butler, has revealed more details of the alleged incident between himself and father/manager Craig Butler, which led to the wounds seen on his arms in widely circulated social media photos.
According to the younger Butler, who lashed out on Tuesday amidst claims of having suffered years of abuse, the incident happened after he had refused to take part in a training session. The senior Butler, who has denied the allegations, initially claimed that the injuries seen were suffered after his son 'fell on a stick'. Kyle, however, disputed that version of events.
“All I said was that I was not going to train. So, I went into the car, took out my shoes, and said I was walking home because he said to leave the jeep. While I was walking he asked me, ‘If I feel like is suh it ago guh.’ He grabbed me by my hair, punched me in my mouth, punched me in the back of my head,” Butler said in an interview with Nationwide Radio.
He went on to claim that when the altercation was broken up, his father went to his van took out a knife, and threw it at him while he was leaving the premises. The player attempted to dodge the object, but it still caught him on the arm.
“The knife could have hit me anywhere else. I have no reason to lie, I have no reason to attack this guy. Why would I fall on a knife at training, why would I fall on something so sharp that it goes through my flesh, at a football field, tell me, how does that make sense?’
In a released statement, the senior Butler continued to claim the allegations were unfounded and that his son had been battling ‘major issues.’
I’m responding in this way of my son Kyle Butler allegations of my being physically abusive on the evening of November 30, 2020. My heart goes out to my son as he battles with some major issues and now these unfounded allegations.
“Let me categorically state that I have not been abusive to my son on that date or any other date. I have encouraged him and helped him to achieve his full potential. I have worked hard to create opportunities for my son of which he enjoyed for years. There was no complains then.
“I’m cognizant of the many issues Kyle has gotten him self in and things that my profession and principles would never allow me to be a part of. This has created a major problem in our relationship as I have stated that this is not the path any parent would hope for their child. I am hoping that he will find his way and recognize that his family loves him amd want only what is best for him.
I hope my son will get the chance to show how talented he is and believe in himself as I have always believed in him. I only ask that the public allows us the privacy to work through this matter,” Butler’s statement read.
Reggae Boy Brown was allowed to leave Bengaluru FC to seek more playing time
Bengaluru FC coach Naushad Moosa insists the club parted ways with Jamaica international Deshorn Brown in order to allow the player to search for more playing time.
The 30-year-old forward recently completed a move to top-flight Indian team NorthEast United, away from Bengaluru, who he joined last year on a one-and-a-half-year deal. Brown scored three goals in 17 appearances and increasingly found first-team football hard to come by.
Moosa replaced outgoing coach Carles Cuadrat, as the club looks to begin a rebuilding process, that has seen the former B-team coach step up as head coach.
"When you talk about Brown, as a club we want to help the player. Now if you see Ajay (Chhetri), he is getting playing opportunities with East Bengal. Brown was not getting enough playing time (at Bengaluru). So, for his development, we should allow him to go and play [elsewhere]. We thought we should help him get more playing time," Moosa said.
Brown will be looking to regain his goalscoring form with the Highlanders who will be without Kwesi Appiah who is set to miss the rest of the season with an injury. The Jamaican has previously played for the likes of DC United and Colorado Rapids. It is hoped will be able to link up with Idrissa Sylla and Luis Machado.
Brown has played 14 games for Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz since making his debut in 2013.
Nagelsmann compares football and NFL as Leipzig coach's heart beats for Packers
RB Leipzig head coach Julian Nagelsmann said football and the NFL can learn from each other as he revealed his admiration for the Green Bay Packers.
Nagelsmann – one of Europe's finest tacticians – said he is a fan of American football after hailing the "extraordinary" discipline of the league's players.
As Aaron Rodgers and the Packers prepare to face Tom Brady's Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday, Leipzig boss Nagelsmann insisted the two sports can learn from each other.
"Our general manager Timmo Hardung is a huge Green Bay Packers fan, so that's rubbed off on me a bit," Nagelsmann told reporters ahead of Leipzig's match against Union Berlin on Wednesday.
"My heart beats for them a bit, their history is very interesting and different to most of the other clubs in the NFL."
Nagelsmann added: "It's a very interesting sport. And I think we can learn a lot from American football in soccer, and our players can learn a lot from it as well. Especially in terms of their discipline in studying and executing the team's playbook. I definitely think that's an area that soccer can improve on.
"The game is based on an unbelievable number of plays, and the players have to understand a lot of specific terms and then act accordingly out on the field. They have to do all that extremely quickly, which is extraordinary."
"You could see in the games that there were one or two tricks – I'd like to see a bit more of that. 'Hitch and Pitch' I think it's called. That worked quite well in the play-offs a couple of times," he continued.
"So American Football can learn from football, but definitely vice versa too. And if any NFL coaches would like to have a chat about it all, feel free to get in touch!"
Leipzig – Champions League semi-finalists last season – are third and four points adrift of Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich after 16 matches in 2020-21.
Madrid's Jovic absolutely world class, says Eintracht boss Hutter
Eintracht Frankfurt head coach Adi Hutter hailed the "greatness" of Luka Jovic following his stunning start to life back in the Bundesliga.
Jovic scored two goals in his return for Eintracht last week after re-joining the German club on loan until the end of the season, having endured a difficult period at LaLiga champions Real Madrid.
The Serbia international only scored twice in 32 appearances under Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane in the Spanish capital, where he arrived for €60million in 2019.
But Jovic came off the bench and scored twice in 28 minutes as Eintracht defeated Schalke 3-1 in the Bundesliga on Sunday.
Jovic matched his Madrid tally in the stunning cameo for Eintracht, where the 23-year-old netted 27 goals in 2018-19 before making the move to the Santiago Bernabeu.
Previewing Wednesday's showdown with Freiburg, Hutter discussed Jovic and his partnership with Eintracht star Andre Silva.
"Strikers are always a bit egotistical, but when it is about the team or Eintracht Frankfurt, everyone puts their ego aside," Hutter told reporters.
"Luka [Jovic] does that sovereignly. When you bring back someone who had his best time here and scored 27 goals in a year, then gets loaned out and scores two goals in 32 games, and then comes back and scores two goals in about 25 minutes, it's logical that the attention is more on that than on Andre Silva's 12th goal of the season.
"But when you hear Luka's statements that it is an honour for him to play in a team with Andre, it shows the greatness and character of Luka and it shows the respect he has for Andre Silva. I have spoken to Andre before and he said that competition is very important for him and that quality in the team is important. That doesn't bother him at all.
"I also can't imagine that Andre Silva, who has previously played for Milan and Sevilla, can't handle competition. I think he has also seen that Luka is another striker with whom he can harmonise.
"As always, I'm keeping a low profile. He [Luka Jovic] has shown in this short season that he is an absolute world-class striker with a high calibre. We'll leave it open as to whether he'll play from the start [against Freiburg]."
Silva's goal to open the scoring against Schalke was his 12th of the season, taking him level with Borussia Dortmund's Erling Haaland – only Bayern Munich star Robert Lewandowski (21) has more in 2020-21.
Eintracht – eighth in the standings – are the only team to win all three of their Bundesliga games in 2021 and have now won four on the bounce in the league for the first time since early 2019.
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