Mexico coach Juan Carlos Osorio and his staff have been putting together individualized plans for El Tri players so they arrive at the World Cup in peak condition next summer, but the idea wasn't met very positively by Porto coach Sergio Conceicao.
Conceicao currently has four Mexican national team players at his club -- Miguel Layun, Hector Herrera, Jesus "Tecatito" Corona and Diego Reyes -- and appeared to object to Osorio's perceived interference.
"Absolutely ridiculous," was Conceicao's take in a news conference on Thursday. "What specific training are you going to do in a week or eight days preparation? We have our nutritionists, physiologists and fitness coaches who prepare a plan for each player. I don't know why he mentioned that."
Osorio stated after last Friday's 3-1 victory over Trinidad and Tobago that "one or two" of Mexico's players weren't at their usual level and said it was because they weren't getting minutes with their club sides.
Reyes and Layun, in particular, have struggled for game early this season with Porto and Osorio suggested that if they didn't start playing more regularly then the individualized plans would be part of the strategy to help the players arrive at next summer's World Cup in top condition.
The Colombian coach added that those players could send a message to their clubs by playing well for the national team, although Conceicao believes Mexico should be thankful to the Portuguese club regardless.
"It shouldn't be for forgotten that of the four Mexicans players in the game [against Trinidad], Corona was the best on the pitch, Layun made an assist and Herrera scored a goal," said the former Portugal international. "It would've been better for him to say thanks to Porto for the players."
Osorio said after the Trinidad and Tobago match that the plans were being formulated and would be individualized for "35 or 40" players in the player pool.
