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When Tony Popovic eventually assembled his first Socceroos squad, the fresh coach presented a range of standards. Most were unambiguous and to the point – suitable considering the turmoil surrounding his sudden appointment, in the wake of Graham Arnold’s departure, and with fewer than three weeks to make arrangements for vital 2026 World Cup qualifiers against China and Japan.

Popovic maintained that any player who aspired to represent in a Socceroos shirt would need to embrace an “elite” attitude to secure, or keep that privilege. But there was a further theme. Not so much an order and more an evocation – and one that has been cast more distinctly into view with any 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 stays constant.”

Approximately a year on from that gathering in an Adelaide hotel, a lot of other things have changed, even if Popovic’s expectations are the same. The coach, for one, appears really settled as Socceroos boss. The 52-year-old’s image for austerity stands in stark contrast with the expansive and at times light-hearted figure holding court for over an hour in what have become semi-regular sit-downs with football media. Similarly have the performances of his team changed, with thoughts of a defeat to Bahrain and stalemate with Indonesia seeming quite distant after successes over Japan and Saudi Arabia in June booked the Socceroos’ spot in next year’s worldwide tournament.

Those triumphs came as part of an 11-game winning 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 unlikely precipice of breaking into pot two in the World Cup draw. The performances of November exhibition games against Venezuela, currently 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 – loom large in this respect.

Even though Popovic admits that he started in the job assuming to only be able to depend on a core group of players, he now believes the group he can trust has grown. This doesn't only come through the emergence 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 comeback from the sidelines and Paul Izzo’s blossoming into a bona fide Socceroos keeper with the ability to push Maty Ryan.

“The squad has completely changed in my mind – of what’s possible 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 believe like there are 15, 20 players that have joined that, and I’m convinced there are others to come that I believe can help make us better as a squad at the World Cup.”

This unforeseen appearance of talent, and the transformation in thinking it has inspired in Popovic, has opened the door for players on the fringes of the squad. Even those not yet considered amongst those group can hold out hope that, by June next year, they could be on the plane. 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 – continues to deliver consistently, then the coach is emphasizing they’re in with a shot of being part of his plans.

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

But this growth, in a way, returns us to Popovic’s initial address as Socceroos head coach. For just as much as he wants players to exceed expectations him, to do something outstanding and rise above the expectations 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 limits’,” 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 emphasize it to the group: one day, Australia will go deep 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 praising something exceptional from the Socceroos? Why should we have restrictions? Why not do it now?”