USMNT U20 coach Mikey Varas didn’t necessarily get the squad he wanted. The manager of seven months had an ideal roster in mind for the upcoming Concacaf Cup, one well-balanced and deep at every position.

But top MLS clubs were reluctant to let some of their top teenage talent depart the squad for nearly a month. Instead, Varas has sought versatility, piecing together a roster that can fill multiple holes, that can play multiple positions, and that he hopes is deep enough to secure World Cup qualification over the coming weeks.

“We looked for versatile players,” Varas said. “Players that could play in the front line and play in the midfield.”

That search landed Varas a squad that blends top MLS talent with a couple of European imports. Every player but one has been involved in the U20 setup before, and a handful are regular starters for their MLS clubs. And although his roster might be lacking at certain positions — the dearth of center forwards could be an issue — it’s certainly strong to compete in a tournament that the US has won on back-to-back occasions.

For Varas, squad assembly started back in April. Anticipating that he might have MLS sides turn down his requests to release players, he invited a slew of fringe options to the spring ID camp. As he surveyed the squad, some names played their way onto the plane. But more importantly, that camp gave him the opportunity to have a watchful eye on everyone, hoping that he had a depth of options — a wealth of information — when he had to piece together a Concacaf Cup squad.

“We didn't bring in any core players, Varas said. “We brought in a group of 23 players that we haven't seen enough of because we wanted to make sure we didn't miss on anybody.”

And it worked. For every request denied, Varas was able to look elsewhere. Still, some top names will be on the pitch in Honduras for the tournament opener. FC Vizela midfielder Alejandro Alvarado got his paperwork together in time to make the squad. Recent San Jose signee Diego Luna figures to be among the XI. And both Caden Clarke and Cade Cowell — who have trained with the senior team before — should be in the mix.

Getting some of the bigger names on the pitch wasn’t easy. Four players from the injury-depleted Philadelphia Union made the squad. And at a time when all four might be needed to chip in for MLS minutes, convincing the Union to let them go proved something of a challenge. Still, Varas got his quartet.

“They've made extra sacrifices, in my opinion, to do the best thing for their players, for the country and for the club,” Varas said. “And they're a great role model.”

There were further difficulties prying away the biggest prize in the squad. Seattle midfielder Obed Vargas — a regular for the Sounders — always figured to be something of a stretch. The struggling side are shallow at his preferred outside midfield position, forcing the 16-year-old to start the last three matches. So, the two parties reached a compromise. Vargas will play the next three games for Seattle, and if the United States — as expected — advanced to the last eight of the competition, he’ll be on the pitch.

How the lineup looks before then is a mystery. Varas has been toying with his attack, suggesting he could ask midfielders to play on the wing, or wingers to switch to a central role. There will likely be some awkward passages, some moments where the flowing attack that Varas has tried to cultivate won’t quite come off.

But for a team patched together, those blips, those awkward instances, can be tolerated.

His players — regardless of their position — are ready to compete.

“We have players who smile in that moment of nervousness and use it as energy,” Varas said. “We run towards challenges versus running away from them. That's the main thing.”

---

RECOMMENDED FOR YOU

Recruiting Roundup: November 4-10

ECNL Girls AZ: U19 Players to Watch

Commitments: Top Talent Stays in Texas