Rodrigo Kenton
Encyclopedia
Rodrigo Kenton Johnson is a Costa Rica
n football
coach
and former player. He is known as "La Bomba" Kenton ("The Kenton Bomb").
, playing for his hometown team, AD Limonense. He then went on to play for several teams, such as Deportivo Saprissa – were he won his only national championship in 1981 –, AD Ramonense, Municipal Puntarenas, Sagrada Familia F.C., AD Guanacasteca and Asociacion Deportiva San Carlos
.
that played the 1990 World Cup held in Italy, where Costa Rica
had a great performance and reached the second round, against all odds.
In Costa Rica
, he has had short coaching periods at Costa Rica's first division
, with C.S. Herediano and L.D. Alajuelense during the mid-90's, but neither team gave him enough time to build his ideas and process. So, he went back to international football and in 1998, he was asked by Milutinovic to be his assistant coach again, this time with the Nigeria national football team
that played the 1998 World Cup that took place in France.
By the early 2000s, he took charge of the Costa Rican national football team U-23, and qualified them to the 2004 Summer Olympics
held in Athens
. Again, his team had a great performance and reached the Quarterfinals, eliminating favorites such as Portugal. He was then selected by FIFA
to be part of the international official Technical Study Group for the Germany 2006 World Cup, along worldwide renowned football experts and coaches such as Francisco Maturana
, Roger Milla
, Andy Roxburgh
, Teófilo Cubillas
, Jozef Venglos
, and others.
In 2006, Kenton was named coach of the Guatemala national team
U-23, with the goal to classify Guatemala to the 2008 Olympic Games, but failed to accomplish it.
In late June 2008, after Hernan Medford
was ceased from his position as head coach of the Costa Rican national team, Eduardo Lee, president of the Fedefubol (Federacion Costarricense de Futbol
) and the board of executives chose Rodrigo Kenton as head coach of the Costa Rican national team, to qualify for the South Africa 2010. The announcement was made unofficially by Kenton in an interview by Radio Monumental's journalist Harrick McClean, when Fedefutbol had scheduled a press conference a week after Hernan Medford
was removed.
Kenton was named head coach with less than two months to the start of the 1st group phase of the CONCACAF
qualifiers for South Africa 2010. The group includes Suriname
, El Salvador
and Haiti
. His first official match was a 1-0 win over El Salvador
after an Alvaro Saborio
penalty. With Kenton, Costa Rica
has also beaten Haiti and Suriname and was released on 15 September 2009.
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
n football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
and former player. He is known as "La Bomba" Kenton ("The Kenton Bomb").
Career
Kenton started his playing career in Costa Rica's first divisionPrimera División de Costa Rica
Primera División de Costa Rica is a professional league for association football clubs in Costa Rica. At the top of the Costa Rican league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 12 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Segunda División...
, playing for his hometown team, AD Limonense. He then went on to play for several teams, such as Deportivo Saprissa – were he won his only national championship in 1981 –, AD Ramonense, Municipal Puntarenas, Sagrada Familia F.C., AD Guanacasteca and Asociacion Deportiva San Carlos
Asociacion Deportiva San Carlos
Asociación Deportiva San Carlos is a Costa Rican football team playing at the top levelin the Primera Division. It is based in Ciudad Quesada, north of Alajuela...
.
Coaching career
Kenton retired from professional football in 1989, and began a very successful and international coaching career. His first coaching job was as assistant coach to Bora Milutinovic in the Costa Rica's national squadCosta Rica national football team
The Costa Rica national football team, nicknamed La Sele, is the national team of Costa Rica and is controlled by the Federación Costarricense de Fútbol. Costa Rica is the third most successful team in CONCACAF after Mexico and the United States...
that played the 1990 World Cup held in Italy, where Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
had a great performance and reached the second round, against all odds.
In Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
, he has had short coaching periods at Costa Rica's first division
Primera División de Costa Rica
Primera División de Costa Rica is a professional league for association football clubs in Costa Rica. At the top of the Costa Rican league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 12 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Segunda División...
, with C.S. Herediano and L.D. Alajuelense during the mid-90's, but neither team gave him enough time to build his ideas and process. So, he went back to international football and in 1998, he was asked by Milutinovic to be his assistant coach again, this time with the Nigeria national football team
Nigeria national football team
The Nigeria national football team, nicknamed the Super Eagles or Green Eagles, is the national team of Nigeria and is controlled by the Nigeria Football Federation . The team has ranked as high as 5th in the FIFA World Rankings, in April 1994...
that played the 1998 World Cup that took place in France.
By the early 2000s, he took charge of the Costa Rican national football team U-23, and qualified them to the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
held in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
. Again, his team had a great performance and reached the Quarterfinals, eliminating favorites such as Portugal. He was then selected by FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
to be part of the international official Technical Study Group for the Germany 2006 World Cup, along worldwide renowned football experts and coaches such as Francisco Maturana
Francisco Maturana
Francisco Maturana, also known as Pacho is a Colombian ex-football player and later a successful football manager.-Player:...
, Roger Milla
Roger Milla
Roger Milla is a retired Cameroonian footballer who played as a striker. He was one of the first African players to be a major star on the international stage...
, Andy Roxburgh
Andy Roxburgh
Andy Roxburgh is a former Scottish football player and coach. He has been UEFA Technical Director since 1994.- Playing career :...
, Teófilo Cubillas
Teófilo Cubillas
Teófilo Juan Cubillas Arizaga is a Peruvian former footballer. He was selected as Peru's greatest ever player in an IFFHS poll, in which he was also included in the world's Top 50...
, Jozef Venglos
Jozef Vengloš
Dr. Jozef Vengloš is a former Czechoslovak football player and coach. He has a Doctorate in Physical Education, as well as specialising in Psychology...
, and others.
In 2006, Kenton was named coach of the Guatemala national team
Guatemala national football team
The Guatemala national football team is the association football team representing the country of Guatemala and is controlled by the Federación Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala. Founded in 1919, it affiliated to FIFA in 1946, and it is a member of CONCACAF....
U-23, with the goal to classify Guatemala to the 2008 Olympic Games, but failed to accomplish it.
In late June 2008, after Hernan Medford
Hernán Medford
Hernán Evaristo Medford Bryan is a Costa Rican football player and coach.Nicknamed "Pelicano", or "Pelican", he played in several different leagues worldwide, including Serie A of Italy , the Yugoslav First League , the Austrian Bundesliga , La Liga in Spain playing for Rayo Vallecano, and the...
was ceased from his position as head coach of the Costa Rican national team, Eduardo Lee, president of the Fedefubol (Federacion Costarricense de Futbol
Federación Costarricense de Fútbol
The Federación Costarricense de Fútbol is the official football organization in Costa Rica and is in charge of the Costa Rican national team.-History:...
) and the board of executives chose Rodrigo Kenton as head coach of the Costa Rican national team, to qualify for the South Africa 2010. The announcement was made unofficially by Kenton in an interview by Radio Monumental's journalist Harrick McClean, when Fedefutbol had scheduled a press conference a week after Hernan Medford
Hernán Medford
Hernán Evaristo Medford Bryan is a Costa Rican football player and coach.Nicknamed "Pelicano", or "Pelican", he played in several different leagues worldwide, including Serie A of Italy , the Yugoslav First League , the Austrian Bundesliga , La Liga in Spain playing for Rayo Vallecano, and the...
was removed.
Kenton was named head coach with less than two months to the start of the 1st group phase of the CONCACAF
CONCACAF
The Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football is the continental governing body for association football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean...
qualifiers for South Africa 2010. The group includes Suriname
Suriname national football team
The Suriname national football team is the national team of Suriname and is controlled by the Surinaamse Voetbal Bond.Although the former Dutch colony is located in South America, it competes in CONCACAF, together with Guyana and French Guiana...
, El Salvador
El Salvador national football team
El Salvador's national football team represents El Salvador in international football and is sanctioned by the Federación Salvadoreña de Fútbol . In 1899, Santa Ana and San Salvador met for the first hosted football game in El Salvador...
and Haiti
Haiti national football team
The Haiti national football team represents Haiti in association football and is controlled by the Fédération Haïtienne de Football, the governing body for football in Haiti. Haiti's home ground is Stade Sylvio Cator in Port-au-Prince and their head coach is Edson Tavares...
. His first official match was a 1-0 win over El Salvador
El Salvador national football team
El Salvador's national football team represents El Salvador in international football and is sanctioned by the Federación Salvadoreña de Fútbol . In 1899, Santa Ana and San Salvador met for the first hosted football game in El Salvador...
after an Alvaro Saborio
Álvaro Saborío
Álvaro Alberto Saborío Chacón is a Costa Rican footballer, who currently plays for Real Salt Lake in Major League Soccer and the Costa Rica national football team.-Deportivo Saprissa:...
penalty. With Kenton, Costa Rica
Costa Rica national football team
The Costa Rica national football team, nicknamed La Sele, is the national team of Costa Rica and is controlled by the Federación Costarricense de Fútbol. Costa Rica is the third most successful team in CONCACAF after Mexico and the United States...
has also beaten Haiti and Suriname and was released on 15 September 2009.