Soccer-Panama name Stempel as new coach

PANAMA CITY, July 8 (Reuters) - Panama have named locally-based Briton Gary Stempel as their new national team coach. Stempel replaces Alexandre Guimaraes, who was fired after Panama's dramatic exit from 2010 World Cup qualifiers in June.

President of the Panamanian Football Federation Ariel Alvarado said Stempel would take charge of the team for the Central American Cup of Nations, which Panama will host in January, although the two parties had not yet agreed terms.

Panama appeared set to reach the group stage of the CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers until they conceded three goals in the second half of a second leg tie away to El Salvador to lose 3-1 and 3-2 on aggregate.

Stempel, who has spent much of his life in Britain, is based in Panama where he manages national champions San Francisco FC as well as the under-23 squad.

He is likely to face great pressure to deliver from Panamanian fans, who are turning to soccer in greater numbers away from the traditional national sport of baseball. (Reporting by Andrew Beatty; Editing by Peter Rutherford)