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As soon as Tony Popovic at last brought together his maiden Socceroos squad, the fresh coach presented a series of expectations. A lot were unambiguous and concise – ideal in light of the disruption surrounding his unexpected entry, in the wake of Graham Arnold’s resignation, and with less than three weeks to get ready for vital 2026 World Cup qualifiers against China and Japan.

Popovic insisted that any player who aspired to pull on a Socceroos shirt would need to take on an “top-tier” attitude to earn, or keep that distinction. But there was an additional message. More an inspiration and more an evocation – and one that has been brought sharper into view with any step taken on the journey towards the World Cup in North America.

“My expectations were to do something remarkable, in my first talk to the players,” Popovic says. “That stays constant.”

Just over a year on from that meeting in an Adelaide hotel, many of other things have evolved, even if Popovic’s goals are the same. The coach, for one, seems really at home as Socceroos manager. The 52-year-old’s image for discipline stands in stark contrast with the open and at times cheerful figure holding court for over an hour in what have become frequent sit-downs with football media. So too have the performances of his team progressed, with thoughts of a loss to Bahrain and stalemate with Indonesia appearing rather remote after successes over Japan and Saudi Arabia in June booked the Socceroos’ spot in next year’s international tournament.

Those triumphs came as part of an 11-game undefeated streak under Popovic, one that was only snapped away by the United States earlier this month. It’s performance that has taken the Socceroos to the unexpected brink of breaking into pot two in the World Cup draw. The results of November exhibition games against Venezuela, currently placed 50th in the world, and 13th-ranked Colombia – as well as Ecuador’s games against Canada and New Zealand, and the remaining games of European qualifying – loom large in this respect.

While Popovic acknowledges that he arrived in the job thinking to only be able to rely on a key players of players, he now feels the selection he can rely on has grown. This doesn't only come through the emergence of talented youth such as Nestory Irankunda, Max Balard, or Mohamed Touré as real international players. There are also the examples of Miloš Degenek’s reappearance from the obscurity and Paul Izzo’s growth into a bona fide Socceroos keeper with the ability to push Maty Ryan.

“The squad has entirely changed in my mind – of what’s attainable with players that have joined,” Popovic says. “I first thought, ‘OK, this is my group; I don’t truly have much beyond this. Just manage and make them better.’ Now, I think like there are 15, 20 players that have joined that, and I’m certain there are additional ones 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 outlook it has brought about in Popovic, has paved the way for players on the fringes of the squad. Even those not yet considered amongst those group can remain optimistic that, by June next year, they could be on the roster. A player like Adrian Segečić might be about to be absent for a month of playing due to an ankle injury, but if he – or any other player – persists to play regularly, then the coach is stating plainly they’re in with a shot of being part of his plans.

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

But this expansion, in a way, brings us back to Popovic’s initial address as Socceroos head coach. For just as much as he wants players to exceed expectations him, to do something remarkable and exceed the hopes 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 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 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 observing and cheering something exceptional from the Socceroos? Why should we have boundaries? Why not do it now?”