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As soon as Tony Popovic finally assembled his maiden Socceroos squad, the fresh coach presented a range of expectations. The majority were unambiguous and to the point – suitable considering the turmoil surrounding his unexpected entry, after Graham Arnold’s resignation, and with less than three weeks to make arrangements for critical 2026 World Cup fixtures against China and Japan.

Popovic maintained that any player who aspired to pull on a Socceroos shirt would need to adopt an “elite” mentality to deserve, or keep that honour. But there was a further message. Less a demand and an invitation to excel – and one that has been cast more distinctly into perspective with any step taken on the path towards the World Cup in North America.

“My visions were to do something special, in my introductory talk to the players,” Popovic says. “That hasn’t changed.”

A little more than a year on from that team talk in an Adelaide hotel, a lot of other things have evolved, even if Popovic’s ambitions stay the same. The coach, for one, seems genuinely settled as Socceroos head. The 52-year-old’s reputation for strictness stands in stark contrast with the open and at times light-hearted figure engaging openly for over an hour in what have become semi-regular sit-downs with football media. Similarly have the performances of his team improved, with thoughts of a setback to Bahrain and draw with Indonesia seeming rather remote after victories over Japan and Saudi Arabia in June booked the Socceroos’ berth in next year’s worldwide tournament.

Those victories came as part of an 11-game undefeated streak under Popovic, one that was only ended away by the United States earlier this month. It’s form that has taken the Socceroos to the surprising brink of breaking into pot two in the World Cup draw. The outcomes of November exhibition games against Venezuela, currently ranked 50th in the world, and 13th-ranked Colombia – as well as Ecuador’s games against Canada and New Zealand, and the final games of European qualifying – carry weight in this respect.

Even though Popovic acknowledges that he started in the job expecting to only be able to depend on a key players of players, he now thinks the group he can trust has swelled. This is not only through the breakthrough of youngsters such as Nestory Irankunda, Max Balard, or Mohamed Touré as genuine international players. There are also the cases of Miloš Degenek’s return from the wilderness and Paul Izzo’s development into a genuine Socceroos keeper with the potential to push Maty Ryan.

“The squad has totally changed in my mind – of what’s possible with players that have come in,” Popovic says. “I first thought, ‘OK, this is my group; I don’t truly have much outside of this. Just get by and make them better.’ Now, I believe like there are 15, 20 players that have joined that, and I’m sure there are more to come that I trust can help make us better as a squad at the World Cup.”

This unforeseen emergence of talent, and the transformation in thinking it has sparked in Popovic, has created opportunities for players on the fringes of the squad. Even those not yet viewed amongst those group can keep faith that, by June next year, they could be on the plane. 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 – continues to perform regularly, then the coach is stating plainly they’re every chance of being part of his plans.

“I don’t want to put a cap or a halt on that – to declare in March that this is our squad, and there may be one or two more new faces,” Popovic says. “No, I want every player to feel that they have an chance. Why can’t there be one more player that joins in June?”

But this expansion, in a way, returns us to Popovic’s first speech as Socceroos head coach. For just as much as he wants players to surprise him, to do something remarkable and go beyond the predictions others have for them, he wants his team to have the same attitude.

“Saying I want to do something unique is just ‘we don’t want to have restrictions’,” Popovic says. “We don’t want to confine ourselves into ‘let’s be participants at the World Cup, and let’s go home and celebrate 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 applauding something remarkable from the Socceroos? Why should we have boundaries? Why not do it now?”