The prevailing wisdom when it comes to coaching a national team is that you're stuck with the players you have. There's certainly some truth to that thinking; unlike at the club level, new U.S.
men's national team boss Mauricio Pochettino can't go out and spend tens of millions of dollars to fill a position of need. Pochettino, therefore, must build his team around an existing core led by star forward Christian Pulisic.
But the idea that he can't bring in new players is misguided. Unlike at club level, where players have guaranteed contracts and can be difficult to jettison, Pochettino can simply decide not to summon a player who isn't getting minutes, is out of shape or form, or who doesn't fit his hard-running system.
That last part is crucial. Because Pochettino needs guys who can run, he needs guys who are getting 90 minutes — or close to it — each and every week.