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When Tony Popovic finally gathered his maiden Socceroos squad, the recently appointed coach outlined a range of requirements. A lot were straightforward and direct – perfect in light of the turmoil around his unexpected appointment, in the wake of Graham Arnold’s exit, and with fewer than three weeks to prepare for critical 2026 World Cup qualifiers against China and Japan.

Popovic asserted that any player who aimed to pull on a Socceroos shirt would need to adopt an “top-tier” mentality to earn, or keep that distinction. But there was another point. More an inspiration and a call to greatness – and one that has been thrown more distinctly into view with each step taken on the path towards the World Cup in North America.

“My expectations were to do something extraordinary, in my first talk to the players,” Popovic says. “That hasn’t changed.”

Approximately a year on from that team talk in an Adelaide hotel, plenty of other things have shifted, even if Popovic’s expectations remain the same. The coach, for one, seems genuinely at home as Socceroos boss. The 52-year-old’s standing for discipline stands in stark contrast with the approachable and at times light-hearted figure engaging openly for over an hour in what have become frequent interviews with football media. Likewise have the fortunes of his team improved, with recollections of a setback to Bahrain and draw with Indonesia seeming rather far off after successes over Japan and Saudi Arabia in June guaranteed the Socceroos’ berth in next year’s international tournament.

Those triumphs came as part of an 11-game unbeaten run under Popovic, one that was only ended away by the United States earlier this month. It’s momentum that has taken the Socceroos to the surprising precipice of crashing pot two in the World Cup draw. The outcomes of November warm-up matches against Venezuela, presently positioned 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 context.

Even though Popovic admits that he started in the job assuming to only be able to count on a main squad of players, he now thinks the pool he can trust has grown. This isn’t just through the rise of youngsters such as Nestory Irankunda, Max Balard, or Mohamed Touré as real international players. There are also the examples of Miloš Degenek’s return from the wilderness and Paul Izzo’s blossoming into a true 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 come in,” Popovic says. “I first thought, ‘OK, this is my group; I don’t really have much beyond this. Just make it work and make them better.’ Now, I feel like there are 15, 20 players that have joined that, and I’m convinced there are others to come that I trust can help make us better as a squad at the World Cup.”

This unexpected rise of talent, and the transformation in thinking it has brought about in Popovic, has paved the way for players on the periphery of the squad. Even those not yet considered amongst those circle can keep faith that, in June next year, they could be on the roster. 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 deliver regularly, then the coach is stating plainly they’re highly likely of being part of his plans.

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

But this expansion, in a way, returns us to Popovic’s initial speech as Socceroos head coach. For just as much as he wants players to surprise him, to do something remarkable and exceed the predictions 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 box ourselves into ‘let’s be contenders at the World Cup, and let’s go home and pat each other on the back for being there’.

“I keep saying 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 praising something remarkable from the Socceroos? Why should we have boundaries? Why not do it now?”