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When Tony Popovic finally gathered his maiden Socceroos squad, the new coach outlined a range of standards. The majority were unambiguous and concise – ideal considering the turmoil surrounding his sudden entry, after Graham Arnold’s exit, and with fewer than three weeks to get ready for crucial 2026 World Cup qualifying matches against China and Japan.

Popovic maintained that any player who hoped to represent in a Socceroos shirt would need to adopt an “premier” mindset to earn, or keep that distinction. But there was a further message. Less a demand and an invitation to excel – and one that has been cast more distinctly into focus with every step taken on the journey towards the World Cup in North America.

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

Approximately a year on from that team talk in an Adelaide hotel, many of other things have shifted, even if Popovic’s expectations remain the same. The coach, for one, looks genuinely settled as Socceroos head. The 52-year-old’s image for strictness stands in stark contrast with the expansive and at times cheerful figure holding court for over an hour in what have become semi-regular sit-downs with football media. So too have the performances of his team changed, with recollections of a loss to Bahrain and draw with Indonesia feeling fairly far off after wins over Japan and Saudi Arabia in June guaranteed the Socceroos’ place in next year’s worldwide 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 surprising brink of breaking into pot two in the World Cup draw. The outcomes of November friendlies against Venezuela, at the moment 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 regard.

While 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 pool he can rely on has grown. This is not only through the breakthrough of youngsters such as Nestory Irankunda, Max Balard, or Mohamed Touré as genuine international players. There are also the likes of Miloš Degenek’s reappearance from the sidelines and Paul Izzo’s development into a true Socceroos keeper with the capability to challenge Maty Ryan.

“The squad has completely 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 truly have much apart from this. Just get by and make them better.’ Now, I think 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 unexpected emergence of talent, and the shift in mindset it has sparked in Popovic, has created opportunities for players on the periphery of the squad. Even those not yet viewed within those circle can keep faith that, by June next year, they could be on the flight. 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 – keeps to perform consistently, then the coach is stating plainly they’re every chance of being part of his plans.

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

But this broadening, in a way, returns us to Popovic’s first talk 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 unique is just ‘we don’t want to have boundaries’,” Popovic says. “We don’t want to pigeonhole ourselves into ‘let’s be participants at the World Cup, and let’s go home and celebrate 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 watching and cheering something remarkable from the Socceroos? Why should we have restrictions? Why not do it now?”