When U.S. Under-20 coach Tab Ramos selected his roster for the upcoming FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand, he did it with an eye toward the future of the entire national team program.
Sure, Ramos wants success Down Under. After seeing his team drawn into the toughest group at the 2013 tournament and leave Turkey winless after three games, Ramos wants nothing more than to lead the Americans out of a more manageable first round during which they'll meet Myanmar, Ukraine and the host nation.
But as the custodian for the next generation of U.S. talent, Ramos also has to be concerned about development. Specifically, how he handles some of the brightest lights in the U.S. player pool -- several who have already played with the U-23s or the senior team (or both) -- could go a long way toward determining how much success they have down the road.
"The integration of our national teams is very important for us," Ramos told reporters Thursday afternoon during a national teleconference. "I feel when a player leaves the U-20 and steps into the U-23s or the senior team, they're pretty well prepared."
Understanding that the bigger picture is part of the decision-making process helps explain a number of selections and omissions to the 20-man list he revealed Thursday. Here are the five main takeaways:
1. No Gedion Zelalem
At least not yet. The Arsenal prospect still hasn't received the OK to play for the Americans, but there's an outside chance that could change before final rosters are due on May 15. "The matter is pending and being investigated," a FIFA spokesman told ESPNFC via email. "As a result, we are not in a position to comment on it any further at the moment nor give an estimation about the timeline."
Still, Ramos saved the final roster spot for the playmaker, one he confirmed will be occupied by Zach Pfeffer (who has already made four starts for the Philadelphia Union this season) if Zelalem isn't cleared in time. Either way, it probably won't alter how the coach lines up his team, which, as of now, will be in the same diamond 4-4-2 formation used recently by Jurgen Klinsmann's senior squad.
"Gedion will certainly add to the group, but it won't necessarily change the way we play," Ramos said. "I think he will fit right in with what we do if he's the player who comes."
He would help them for sure. But Klinsmann won't care about Zelalem missing the youth event if he's green-lighted in time to train with the senior team ahead of next month's high-profile friendlies against the Netherlands and Germany.
2. No Flores, Gall or Novakovich, either
Ramos made a host of changes to the roster that qualified the U.S. for the competition in January. Among the more surprising cuts was Columbus Crew midfielder Romain Gall, who tied for the team lead with five goals at the CONCACAF championship. The injury he picked up early this MLS season hurt him. "At the moment," Ramos said of Gall, "he was not in his best form."
Neither was Junior Flores, a reserve in qualifying whose stock has slipped since he starred for the U-17s and landed a contract with German powerhouse Borussia Dortmund.
Meanwhile, target striker Andrija Novakovich was omitted at the request of Reading, his English club, who wanted to make sure he had a proper rest after struggling with the physicality of England's second tier. "If that's the best-case scenario for Andrija at this point, then we support that," Ramos said. "Hopefully we have Andrija ready -- whether it's for the Olympics or the senior team -- down the road."
3. Carter-Vickers and Miazga will again anchor the defense ...
At 17, can't-miss kid Cameron Carter-Vickers is the youngest player named. Yet the Tottenham Hotspur man-child is a lock to keep his place in the lineup. "He plays like a veteran," Ramos said. "I have no concern there at all."
Alongside him at center-back will be fellow specimen Matt Miazga, who used the run of games he received during qualifying to help him land a starting job with the New York Red Bulls. "The fact that he's playing 90 minutes now for the Red Bulls shows how much improvement he's making," Ramos said. "I'm very excited about where Matt is right now, but more excited about what will have down the road for our program."
Carter-Vickers and Miazga have both spent time with the U-23s; the pair started together against Brazil in a friendly last October. An impressive showing in New Zealand could even see the pair resume their budding partnership when Olympic qualifying begins this fall, especially if Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin doesn't release senior-team starter John Brooks.
4. ... And Palmer-Brown will get some valuable experience
Another of the country's top center-back prospects, Sporting Kansas City's Erik Palmer-Brown, was a somewhat surprising inclusion. After all, the 18 year old is eligible for the next U-20 World Cup two years from now and has made just one fleeting, five-minute cameo for SKC this season. But Ramos' mind apparently was made up when the imposing Palmer-Brown paired with Cameron-Vickers (who is also age-eligible for 2017) and helped prevent Croatia from registering a shot on goal in the American's 1-0 friendly win on April 25.
"He came in and really showed that defensively he can lock things up," Ramos said of that performance from Palmer-Brown. "I liked what I saw. I think at this point that was all I needed to see because I know the type of player he is. This tournament will be a great experience for him leading into the next U-20s."
5. Rubio Rubin will be counted on to score
The big, technical Utrecht forward is perhaps the most senior-team-ready player on the U-20 roster. Club commitments kept him from participating in the CONCACAF tourney -- Rubin has made 26 Eredivisie appearances this season (19 starts) and has already been capped three times by Klinsmann -- but despite managing just three goals, his experience in the attacking third will be leaned on heavily.
"I think we have to be more clinical and be able put our chances away at the World Cup because certainly there's not going to be as many chances as there were in qualifying," Ramos said.
A strong tournament would also boost Rubin's claim for Gold Cup consideration. Sharing the load up front in New Zealand will be Real Salt Lake striker Jordan Allen and L.A. Galaxy forward Bradford Jamieson IV, both of whom have scored in MLS play this season.