Chile coach Rueda tells players to show more ambition

   SANTIAGO, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Chile coach Reinaldo Rueda has urged his players to dream of joining bigger clubs as he seeks to re-motivate a squad that failed to qualify for this year's World Cup.

   Rueda will take charge of the Roja for the first time when they face Sweden in Solna on March 24 and Denmark in Aalborg three days later.

   "I have asked several players to aim for more, to strive to go to a bigger club, to project themselves," Rueda told reporters on Thursday.

   "There are some players who believe that they are better than they really are, and there are others who don't allow themselves to be better. Players should always aspire for more."

   Rueda, who has previously coached the national teams of Colombia, Ecuador and Honduras, began a four-year contract with the Roja in January.

   The 60-year-old Colombian replaced Juan Antonio Pizzi, who departed in October after the reigning Copa America champions missed a berth in football's biggest tournament, to be played in Russia in June and July.

   He has already made clear his intention to promote youth by naming a squad with an average age of 22 for this month's friendlies.

   Among those called up were 19-year-old Deportes Temuco defender Diego Cayupil, 18-year-old O' Higgins midfielder Matias Sepulveda and 19-year-old Universidad Catolica forward David Henriquez.

   "The older players have to prepare themselves to know how to leave with decorum and the [young players] must be ready to replace them with leadership," Rueda said. Enditem