Costa Rica's Alexandre Guimaraes has been re-appointed as Mumbai City FC head coach ahead of the fourth edition of the glitterati Indian Super League, scheduled to start in November this year.
Guimaraes has led Mumbai to the top of the group standings at the end of the league stage last season, helping the club reach their maiden semifinal where they succumbed to eventual League winners Atletico de Kolkata.
The 57-year-old represented his country in 1990 FIFA World Cup. He is best known for his great achievements as the head coach of the Costa Rica national team, leading them past the qualifying stages for the 2002 and the 2006 FIFA World Cups.
Guimaraes started coaching Belen, then moved to Herediano in summer 1996, when he achieved good results with both teams.
He was hired by Saprissa, where he worked for several years, winning three national tournaments with them.
Guimaraes has also coached several international teams, such as Comunicaciones of Guatemala, Irapuato and Dorados de Sinaloa in Mexico and tasted success with teams like Al Wasl in UAE and Tianjin Teda in China.
"Getting the coach to come back for the upcoming season was a no-brainer. We were very happy with the team's performances in the last season and the way he led the team on the field like a general and off the field like a father-figure, was commendable," said Ranbir Kapoor, Mumbai City FC team owner.
Guimaraes said, "The support of the owners and management has been fabulous, the reception and love the players and my staff got from the supporters club was tremendous.
"We achieved some of the objectives last year by finishing top of the table and reaching the semi-finals but I'd like to continue this project and finish the job I came here for."
(With PTI Inputs)
