Weston McKennie, Auston Trusty, Mauricio Pochettino: Winners and losers from the USMNT September camp squad

Right or wrong, Auston Trusty was the odd man out all too often under Berhalter. This camp is proof, though, that the slate is completely wiped clean. For Trusty, that's very good news.

The centerback race is generally pretty open, particularly with veteran Tim Ream slowing down. The Charlotte FC defender is still in the team for now but, at some point, Father Time will show his face. Who will take that spot? Could it be Trusty?

He faces competition, to be fair. Mark McKenzie is in the mix, as is Trusty's new Celtic teammate, Cameron Carter-Vickers. Even if Trusty doesn't win a starting spot, just being back in a camp is a considerable step forward considering he hasn't been involved since June 2023.

Now's the time to prove it for Trusty, who is being given the chance to take full advantage of this regime switch.

Aside from January camps, it's been a while since there's been a legitimate USMNT camp without Weston McKennie. He was absent in March 2022 due to injury but, aside from that, he's largely been ever-present for this team.

Not this time. McKennie was surprisingly left out of the squad but, realistically, it does make sense. Varas explained the decision saying that McKennie needs more fitness and minutes, and staying at Juventus will get him closer to that.

"In the case of Weston McKennie he wasn't able to do a full preseason," Varas said, "so the best thing for him in collaboration with player, club and country is to leave him at Juventus and let him catch up and get ready for his season."

Even so, it's unfortunate for McKennie, who relishes these moments in a national team shirt. For now, though, the focus is getting into Thiago Motta's plans at the club level and, once that happens, hope everything else can fall back into place.

Matt Turner's place as USMNT No. 1 is far from safe and, if this roster is any indication, the U.S. could get younger in goal quickly.

Diego Kochen is in for his first USMNT camp, which represents a massive leap for the young Barcelona product. The 18-year-old goalkeeper is uncapped and has yet to even play a senior game, but it seems he'll get a chance to at least integrate into the team this fall.

"Diego will be his first time with the senior national team," Varas said. "He’s a young player playing for Barcelona B that we see as a high-potential player. This is an opportunity for him to come in and not only compete with the senior team, but also get an amazing experience so that we can keep building for our future.”

Patrick Schulte is a player closer to the senior level, having already earned one camp while also serving as the Olympics starter for the U23 squad that reached the quarterfinals. Schulte was a breakout star in MLS this season and is now right on the precipice of a USMNT role. Now's his chance to push for it.

The guard is changing in goal and, even if Turner holds that No. 1 spot, the backup and third-string role seems tailor-made for the new generation. There is one young goalkeeper, though, that was left off the list.

It's unfortunately the negative effect of playing in League One. Young goalkeeper Gaga Slonina would seem like a great call-up for this U.S. group, but his club situation will keep him in England.

Barnsley, unfortunately, play through the international break, as does the rest of League One. As a result, Slonina is needed on the club level, which almost certainly played a part in his status for this particular camp.

That's unlucky for Slonina, who could have used this opportunity after backing up Schulte at the Olympics. It's an easy argument to say that Slonina has the highest upside of any USMNT goalkeeper but, at just 20, he hasn't quite had a chance to show that upside.

He won't this camp, either, which means his hopes of pushing for that No. 1 spot will have to wait.

Good for Varas, who has earned this opportunity. He's been with the federation for a considerable stretch, having served as U.S. U20 coach through the 2023 World Cup while also being the senior national team's opposition scout for the World Cup.

Now, he'll get a temporary crack at the big job and - however you look at it - that's a pretty cool thing.

It seems he already has another job lined up with San Diego in the MLS, but it remains an honor to coach the USMNT. Only a total of 39 men have done so in this team's history. On Saturday, in the friendly against Canada in Kansas City, Varas will become No. 40, and that isn't lost on him.

“The opportunity is once in a lifetime," Varas said. "Anytime you get to represent your country, you have to cherish that moment. At the end of the day though, it’s more than an opportunity. It's also a massive responsibility, and we are committed to making sure we have this group to show everyone who we are as a team.”

Still, while all eyes will be on coach No. 40 this weekend, the real focus will be on the status of No. 41.

The clock's ticking, and this is time you can never get back.

Pochettino, who has reportedly agreed to replace Berhalter as U.S. coach, will now have two fewer games to really put his stamp on the USMNT. With a deal yet to be finalized or officially announced, Pochettino will miss out - at least directly - on this camp, which must be a disappointment for both him and this group.

The hiring process has been slowed by the Argentine's contractual complications with Chelsea. Pochettino had a two-year contract with the Blues and is still owed money in relation to his exit earlier this year. Reports indicate that U.S. Soccer CEO JT Batson and the federation's legal team have stepped in to work with Chelsea and Pochettino to speed up the process and finalize the hiring.

There's a feeling of excitement around the Pochettino potential, but the longer this drags on, the more opportunities are lost. Time is not on the USMNT's side with this. Real games are few and far between from now until the 2026 World Cup.

Pochettino, it would seem, will be missing out on games and, just as important, on training. Perhaps he's had some indirect involvement in the composition of the roster - US Soccer noted that Varas selected the squad for this camp - but he's missing out on a chance to work with the group directly. He's missing out on a chance to get to know the players, build a connection and develop an identity.

If Pochettino is their man, It could end up being a case of all's well that ends well. Remember, the federation also waited for a former Chelsea coach to take over the USWNT just weeks before the start of the 2024 Olympics - and that resulted in a gold medal for Emma Hayes and the U.S. women.

But no matter when he comes in, Pochettino will be speed-running just about everything. There are fewer than two years until the 2026 World cup in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, and with limited matches and camps in that stretch, it will only make everything more urgent when he does arrive.