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As soon as Tony Popovic at last brought together his first Socceroos squad, the fresh coach outlined a set of requirements. A lot were unambiguous and concise – perfect in light of the turmoil surrounding his sudden appointment, in the wake of Graham Arnold’s resignation, and with under three weeks to make arrangements for vital 2026 World Cup qualifiers against China and Japan.

Popovic insisted that any player who hoped to pull on a Socceroos shirt would need to adopt an “top-tier” attitude to earn, or continue to earn that distinction. But there was an additional theme. Not so much an order and more an evocation – and one that has been thrown sharper into view with every step taken on the journey towards the World Cup in North America.

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

A little more than a year on from that gathering in an Adelaide hotel, plenty of other things have evolved, even if Popovic’s expectations are the same. The coach, for one, appears truly settled as Socceroos boss. The 52-year-old’s image for strictness stands in stark contrast with the open and at times jovial figure engaging openly for over an hour in what have become semi-regular interviews with football media. So too have the fortunes of his team changed, with memories of a setback to Bahrain and stalemate with Indonesia seeming fairly remote after victories over Japan and Saudi Arabia in June guaranteed the Socceroos’ spot in next year’s global tournament.

Those triumphs 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 momentum that has taken the Socceroos to the unexpected brink of crashing pot two in the World Cup draw. The results of November friendlies against Venezuela, presently ranked 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 – loom large in this respect.

Even though Popovic admits that he started in the job assuming to only be able to depend on a key players of players, he now thinks the pool he can rely on has expanded. This is not only through the breakthrough 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 reappearance from the wilderness and Paul Izzo’s growth into a true Socceroos keeper with the ability to challenge Maty Ryan.

“The squad has entirely changed in my mind – of what’s attainable with players that have entered,” 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 believe like there are 15, 20 players that have entered that, and I’m certain there are additional ones to come that I feel can help make us better as a squad at the World Cup.”

This unforeseen rise of talent, and the shift in thinking it has inspired in Popovic, has created opportunities for players on the periphery of the squad. Even those not yet considered amongst those circle can hold out hope that, in 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 – persists to play regularly, then the coach is emphasizing they’re every chance of being part of his plans.

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

But this expansion, in a way, returns us to Popovic’s first speech 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 special is just ‘we don’t want to have restrictions’,” Popovic says. “We don’t want to box ourselves into ‘let’s be participants at the World Cup, and let’s go home and celebrate 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 limits? Why not do it now?”