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When Tony Popovic at last gathered his maiden Socceroos squad, the new coach detailed a range of expectations. A lot were straightforward and direct – perfect in light of the turmoil surrounding his sudden appointment, following Graham Arnold’s departure, and with fewer than three weeks to prepare for critical 2026 World Cup qualifiers against China and Japan.

Popovic insisted that any player who hoped to represent in a Socceroos shirt would need to take on an “elite” attitude to secure, or maintain that distinction. But there was another point. Not so much an order and an invitation to excel – and one that has been thrown more distinctly into view with each step taken on the road towards the World Cup in North America.

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

Approximately a year on from that gathering in an Adelaide hotel, a lot of other things have changed, even if Popovic’s goals remain the same. The coach, for one, appears genuinely at home as Socceroos boss. The 52-year-old’s reputation 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 results of his team improved, with thoughts of a loss to Bahrain and stalemate with Indonesia seeming rather distant after victories over Japan and Saudi Arabia in June secured the Socceroos’ spot in next year’s worldwide tournament.

Those wins came as part of an 11-game winning streak under Popovic, one that was only ended away by the United States earlier this month. It’s performance that has taken the Socceroos to the unlikely edge of entering pot two in the World Cup draw. The results of November friendlies 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 – are significant in this respect.

Even though Popovic acknowledges that he started in the job assuming to only be able to rely on a key players of players, he now believes the selection he can trust has swelled. This is not only through the emergence of talented youth such as Nestory Irankunda, Max Balard, or Mohamed Touré as real international players. There are also the cases of Miloš Degenek’s return from the wilderness and Paul Izzo’s development into a true Socceroos keeper with the potential to challenge Maty Ryan.

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

This surprising emergence of talent, and the transformation in mindset it has brought about in Popovic, has opened the door for players on the fringes of the squad. Even those not yet viewed amongst those circle can remain optimistic that, by June next year, they could be on the roster. A player like Adrian Segečić might be about to sit out a month of playing due to an ankle injury, but if he – or any other player – continues to deliver consistently, then the coach is making clear they’re highly likely of being part of his plans.

“I don’t want to put a limit or a halt on that – to announce 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 believe that they have an chance. Why can’t there be one more player that comes in in June?”

But this broadening, in a way, brings us back to Popovic’s first address as Socceroos head coach. For just as much as he wants players to impress him, to do something remarkable and rise above the hopes others have for them, he wants his team to have the same attitude.

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

“I repeat it to the group: one day, Australia will go a long way in the World Cup. And why not this group? Why do we have to wait two or three World Cups, when I’m observing and applauding something remarkable from the Socceroos? Why should we have restrictions? Why not do it now?”