Coach Hernán Medford
Fired After
Disappointing World Cup
Qualifying Results
Costa Rica coach Hernán
Medford has been fired
despite advancing the
team to the next round
of 2010 World Cup
qualifiers.
Medford was criticized
after the team struggled
to a 2-2 draw against
lowly Grenada — a team
ranked 143rd in the
world. Costa Rica won
the return leg 3-0 last
weekend to reach the
third round of
qualifying, but Medford
was still fired late
Friday.
"We are not satisfied
with the results," said
Eduardo Li, the
president of Costa
Rica's football
federation. "In the 20
months that he (Medford)
was in charge, we felt
like the team did not
grow, it was not the
team that we wanted to
see."
Medford, who took charge
in October 2006, said he
had been unfairly
treated.
"My firing was
precipitated by some hot
heads, this is not a
good thing for the
soccer of this country.
This is not the way to
fix things, but it's
business as usual for
Costa Rica," Medford
said.
Costa Rica played 24
matches under Medford,
with seven wins, 12
draws and five losses.
Li said the federation
has a replacement lined
up, but will not
announce the name until
next Wednesday. |
