RIDGE MAHONEY … Depth: What is it and where is it?

How much depth must a team have to be considered deep?

The U.S. coaches might have thought their pool was a deep one last year, when 31 names appeared on the scoresheets of six qualifiers.

But a nasty run of injuries – six players, four of them regulars, were not available for the 3-2 loss to Honduras – has all but drained the pool in midfield.

The call-up of 38-year-old Preki is a heartwarming story and a deserved accolade, but it illustrated a short supply of players who meld audacity with talent, a la Clint Mathis and Josh Wolff, or have the simple ability to hold the ball under heavy pressure, like Claudio Reyna and John O’Brien.

Preki earned his recall by tearing apart MLS defenses. Strong performances have moved Landon Donovan into the picture. Pablo Mastroeni and Brian Maisonneuve have been strong in MLS but aren’t ready for the Hexagonal.

Against Honduras, Coach Bruce Arena elected to start European players who are either getting little time with their clubs, not playing all that well, or are stuck at a moderate level of competition.

Jovan Kirovski is struggling to win a spot at Crystal Palace, Tony Sanneh’s early days with Nuremberg have been nightmares, and David Regis isn’t burning it up with Metz.

We don’t foresee a return to the days of Steve Sampson, who had to use the same core of players regardless of their club form because he had so few alternatives.

But the pool isn’t bottomless. Arena needs experience and talent. There isn’t all that much that’s healthy.

“Who else is there to bring in?” he said. “Tell me where they are. They’re all in the hospital, the ones we want to bring in.”

Ante Razov, Reyna and Wolff should be available for Jamaica in October. They will be needed.