Sports: Costa Rica Confirms Medford as Coach to 2010
Former World Cup player and Saprissa coach Hernan Medford will lead Costa Rica to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Medford, 38, replaces Alexandre Guimares, who stepped down in July after Costa Rica failed to advance from the first round at the World Cup.

The Costa Rican Soccer Federation voted unanimously for Medford, who beat out Costa Rica's Carlos Watson del Herediano, Colombia's Carlos Restrepo and Italians Giuseppe Dossena and Giuseppe Materazzi.

"It's clear that Mr. Hernan is capable of taking us to the next World Cup," federation president Walter Niehaus said on Monday.

Medford said he would try to transform Costa Rica but he also warned fans "not to expect miracles."

Recent polls in local media predicted the federation would pick Medford, who played in two World Cups in 1990 in Italy and in 2002 in South Korea.

As a player, Medford started with Saprissa and went on to play for leagues in the former Yugoslavia, Austria, Spain, Italy and Mexico. His most memorable moment came when he helped Costa Rica qualify for the second round in the 1990 World Cup.