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As soon as Tony Popovic finally gathered his initial Socceroos squad, the fresh coach detailed a series of standards. A lot were clear and concise – perfect in light of the turmoil surrounding his abrupt appointment, following Graham Arnold’s departure, and with under three weeks to prepare for critical 2026 World Cup fixtures against China and Japan.

Popovic asserted that any player who aimed to pull on a Socceroos shirt would need to take on an “top-tier” mentality to secure, or keep that distinction. But there was a further message. Not so much an order and an invitation to excel – and one that has been cast clearer into focus with every step taken on the path towards the World Cup in North America.

“My hopes were to do something special, in my first talk to the players,” Popovic says. “That remains the same.”

A little more than a year on from that meeting in an Adelaide hotel, a lot of other things have evolved, even if Popovic’s goals remain the same. The coach, for one, seems really at home as Socceroos head. The 52-year-old’s standing for austerity differs greatly with the open and at times jovial figure speaking freely for over an hour in what have become semi-regular discussions with football media. Similarly have the fortunes of his team improved, with recollections of a loss to Bahrain and stalemate with Indonesia seeming rather remote after wins over Japan and Saudi Arabia in June booked the Socceroos’ spot in next year’s worldwide tournament.

Those victories came as part of an 11-game winning streak under Popovic, one that was only broken away by the United States earlier this month. It’s form that has taken the Socceroos to the unexpected precipice of crashing pot two in the World Cup draw. The performances of November warm-up matches against Venezuela, presently placed 50th in the world, and 13th-ranked Colombia – as well as Ecuador’s games against Canada and New Zealand, and the last games of European qualifying – are significant in this regard.

While Popovic concedes that he started in the job assuming to only be able to rely on a key players of players, he now believes the pool he can trust has grown. This isn’t just through the rise of talented youth such as Nestory Irankunda, Max Balard, or Mohamed Touré as genuine international players. There are also the cases of Miloš Degenek’s reappearance from the obscurity and Paul Izzo’s development into a genuine Socceroos keeper with the capability to compete with Maty Ryan.

“The squad has completely changed in my mind – of what’s attainable with players that have entered,” Popovic says. “I first thought, ‘OK, this is my group; I don’t fully have much beyond this. Just make it work and make them better.’ Now, I believe like there are 15, 20 players that have entered that, and I’m certain there are others to come that I believe can help make us better as a squad at the World Cup.”

This surprising rise of talent, and the change in outlook it has brought about in Popovic, has opened the door for players on the edges of the squad. Even those not yet regarded amongst those circle can hold out hope that, come June next year, they could be on the flight. A player like Adrian Segečić might be about to miss a month of playing due to an ankle injury, but if he – or any other player – keeps to perform regularly, then the coach is emphasizing they’re highly likely of being part of his plans.

“I don’t want to put a cap or a stop on that – to announce in March that this is our squad, and there may be one or two more additions,” Popovic says. “No, I want every player to know that they have an opportunity. Why can’t there be another player that comes in in June?”

But this expansion, in a way, brings us back to Popovic’s first talk as Socceroos head coach. For just as much as he wants players to impress him, to do something special and exceed the expectations others have for them, he wants his team to have the same philosophy.

“Saying I want to do something special is just ‘we don’t want to have restrictions’,” Popovic says. “We don’t want to confine ourselves into ‘let’s be competitors at the World Cup, and let’s go home and pat each other on the back for being there’.

“I emphasize it to the group: one day, Australia will go very far in the World Cup. And why not this group? Why do we have to wait two or three World Cups, when I’m sitting back and cheering something remarkable from the Socceroos? Why should we have boundaries? Why not do it now?”