Toronto FC’s top brass are still waiting for someone to step up.

Someone other Sebastian Giovinco, or Michael Bradley, or Jozy Altidore. They need a role player to emerge as something more.

The Reds are in desperate need of an unsung hero, an attacking player who’s ready to shed the “inexperience” banner for leadership.

They need Jonathan Osorio, or Jay Chapman, or Mo Babouli to become something bigger. Until then, TFC is a two- or three-man team that can’t get it done minus its big three.

“Our challenge is going to be — when we’re missing the three DPs — scoring goals,” TFC head coach Greg Vanney said.

“Defensively we can manage ourselves even though we gave away three goals Saturday night. We should have done better.”

It’s unclear if they could have. Toronto’s midfield looked noticeably barren on Saturday without a certain bald head.

Altidiore’s absence allowed New York’s big bodies to key in on Giovinco. The Red Bulls took one look at TFC’s lineup and said one thing: Let’s make Daniel Lovitz and Babouli beat us.

“It takes time to build depth in a roster, especially when you’re committed so heavily to put a top group together to compete for a championship,” Vanney said.

“That takes time because you need some of your younger players to come along or you need to find guys who are bargains with experience in the league.”

As of Week 13, TFC’s youth still haven’t demonstrated they can influence games at the MLS level. They still have so much to prove.

Until then, TFC’s top brass will say a prayer knowing they’re always an injury away from mediocrity or worse.

MORE PROOF NEEDED

Will Johnson was Bradley-like post-game.

The Canadian international was frank in his assessment of TFC’s roster following Saturday’s lopsided loss at Red Bull Arena.

“It’s still a team that’s being rebuilt from a previous regime,” Johnson said. “There are still signings left over that constrain what you can do and who you can bring in.

“We have 11 or 12 proven guys and then we have a bunch of unproven guys who can step up if they take their opportunities and start to prove themselves.

“Our depth so far has struggled at times, which you’d expect. But we can’t afford that too much longer.”

Toronto FC’s depth guys — Babouli, Chapman and Lovitz, to name a few — will have another opportunity soon.

The Reds kick off Voyageurs Cup action against the Montreal Impact Wednesday night at BMO Field.

IT’S ‘UNFORTUNATE’: VANNEY

A prominent voice inside Toronto FC’s dressing room detests Canada’s domestic championship.

The player — he’ll remain anonymous — expressed disappointment two weeks ago after learning his side would likely enter Wednesday night’s Voyageurs Cup semifinal without at least four prominent players.

Inside the dressing room, the Reds are desperate to get back to the CONCACAF Champions League. There are just too many obsticles standing in the way.

The fact this week’s semifinal against the Montreal Impact is scheduled during an international break is mind-boggling. Were there no other dates? The players find that hard to believe.

Toronto FC hosts the Impact Wednesday night without Bradley, Altidore, Giovinco and Johnson.

Johnson said following Saturday night’s match that he could return in time for next week’s return leg.

“The unfortunate part is that we want the best possible players available to be able to compete for that championship,” Vanney said. “That’s not going to be the case.

“Ultimately, you’d love to have a full compliment of guys to choose from. Then each team can pick whatever philosophy they want. All of our hands are more forced when you don’t have the international guys.”

It’s also frustrating for fans, who pay to see the league’s best players during every competitive fixture.

CANADIAN CUP RANT

First things first …

League Cup competitions should be single elimination.

But because Canada has just five first- and second-division teams, the Canadian Soccer Association draws out the tournament with home-and-home fixtures.

What’s the point of putting on a competition absent a plethora of top players? It makes Canada’s single CONCACAF Champions League berth far less prestigious.

The Voyageurs Cup should go on hiatus. The trophy should be awarded in the same way the Cascadia Cup is earned in the Pacific Northwest. Allow Canada’s MLS teams to compete for it during the MLS season.

It would take a bit of co-operation with Major League Soccer’s schedule-makers, but it’s certainly feasible. It’s not like other rules haven’t been made up along the way.

What about Edmonton and Ottawa, you say? They’d come back into the competition when the Canadian Premier League is officially born.

Only then will Canada have enough teams to actually put on a gripping, single-elimination domestic Cup competition.

OVERHEARD IN NEW YORK

Both Giovinco and New York City’s Andrea Pirlo declined call-ups to Italy’s preliminary Euro 2016 camp two weeks ago.

The Atomic Ant didn’t want to miss a pair of TFC fixtures just to attend a pointless four-day kick-around back in Italy — especially if he wasn’t in Italy’s plans to begin with.

Was that enough to tick off Azzurri coach Antonio Conte to the point it led to Giovinco’s Euro snub?

Either way, good on Giovinco for refusing to play Conte’s pointless pre-tournament games. Preliminary camps and rosters are the equivalent of participation ribbons.