Chile football chief confirms talks with Colombian coach Rueda

Santiago Dec 23 (IANS) The Chilean football association ANFP is in talks with Colombian Reinaldo Rueda about the national team s vacant coaching position according to the organisation s top official.

Rueda who is the current coach of Brazilian giants Flamengo participated in closed-door talks with ANFP president Arturo Salah on Friday and could be named as the Roja s new coach within days according to Chilean state-run pay TV news service 24 Horas.

"I had had a very good meeting with Reinaldo Rueda. Now we are negotiating " Salah said.

Chile the reigning Copa America champions have been without a coach since October when Juan Antonio Pizzi departed after the team s failure to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup reports Xinhua news agency.

Rueda joined Flamengo in August and guided the Rio outfit to sixth in Brazil s 20-team Serie A standings earning them a berth in next year s Copa Libertadores South America s version of the UEFA Champions League.

He also led them to the final of the second-tier Copa Sudamerica which they lost to Argentina s Independiente.

The 60-year-old Colombian has previously coached the national teams of Colombia Ecuador and Honduras.

--IANS
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