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When Tony Popovic eventually gathered his maiden Socceroos squad, the new coach presented a range of standards. A lot were clear and direct – perfect in light of the turmoil following his unexpected arrival, in the wake of Graham Arnold’s resignation, and with fewer than three weeks to make arrangements for crucial 2026 World Cup fixtures against China and Japan.

Popovic maintained that any player who aimed to represent in a Socceroos shirt would need to adopt an “premier” mentality to deserve, or maintain that distinction. But there was an additional message. Less a demand and a call to greatness – and one that has been thrown sharper into perspective with each step taken on the road towards the World Cup in North America.

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

A little more than a year on from that team talk in an Adelaide hotel, plenty of other things have evolved, even if Popovic’s goals are the same. The coach, for one, looks genuinely settled as Socceroos boss. The 52-year-old’s standing for discipline stands in stark contrast with the approachable and at times light-hearted figure holding court for over an hour in what have become frequent interviews with football media. So too have the performances of his team improved, with memories of a loss to Bahrain and stalemate with Indonesia seeming rather remote after victories over Japan and Saudi Arabia in June booked the Socceroos’ spot in next year’s international tournament.

Those victories came as part of an 11-game winning streak under Popovic, one that was only broken away by the United States earlier this month. It’s form that has taken the Socceroos to the unexpected edge of crashing pot two in the World Cup draw. The performances of November warm-up matches 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 final games of European qualifying – are significant in this regard.

While Popovic concedes that he began in the job expecting to only be able to count on a main squad of players, he now believes the selection he can rely on has expanded. This isn’t just through the emergence of young players such as Nestory Irankunda, Max Balard, or Mohamed Touré as authentic international players. There are also the likes of Miloš Degenek’s comeback from the wilderness and Paul Izzo’s growth into a true Socceroos keeper with the capability to challenge 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 fully have much outside of this. Just get by and make them better.’ Now, I feel like there are 15, 20 players that have come into that, and I’m sure 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 change in thinking it has sparked in Popovic, has paved the way for players on the periphery of the squad. Even those not yet regarded within those group can keep faith that, come 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 – keeps to deliver consistently, 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 restriction or a stop 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 believe that they have an chance. Why can’t there be an additional player that comes in 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 surprise him, to do something remarkable and rise above the expectations 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 limits’,” Popovic says. “We don’t want to pigeonhole 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 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 remarkable from the Socceroos? Why should we have limits? Why not do it now?”