NEW YORK – U.S. national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino defended his “painful” squad selection for the World Cup and style of communication after the official unveiling of the 26-man roster on Tuesday.All 55 players on the provisional squad were notified on Friday via email whether or not they made the team, while the players who made the squad also received a video from Pochettino. The players who made the team saw the video first before the email.“It wasn’t the moment to inspire, it was the moment to communicate the roster,” Pochettino told reporters. “The most difficult thing it is painful. It is painful because I really know what it means to be out of the roster.“I was a player. When I didn’t make the roster, I didn’t want the coach to call me. If I ask why am I not in the roster, what are they going to say? They are going to lie.”Pochettino added: “If I call, it’s about myself. Come on, that is bullshit.”In his playing career, Pochettino narrowly missed Argentina’s squad for the 1998 World Cup before being called in 2002.“If the players didn’t make the roster, they don’t want to hear from me,” Pochettino said. “I care. For two weeks I didn’t sleep.”The squad list wasn’t finalized in Pochettino’s mind until Thursday, the day before the players were notified. Some of the most-discussed selections were the inclusion of Gio Reyna, and the omission of Diego Luna and Tanner Tessmann.