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When Tony Popovic finally brought together his first Socceroos squad, the fresh coach presented a range of standards. A lot were clear and concise – ideal given the disruption around his unexpected entry, following Graham Arnold’s resignation, 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 aimed to represent in a Socceroos shirt would need to take on an “elite” attitude to deserve, or continue to earn that privilege. But there was a further theme. More an inspiration and an invitation to excel – and one that has been thrown sharper into perspective with any step taken on the path towards the World Cup in North America.

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

Just over a year on from that gathering in an Adelaide hotel, plenty of other things have shifted, even if Popovic’s ambitions are the same. The coach, for one, seems really comfortable as Socceroos manager. The 52-year-old’s reputation for strictness differs greatly with the approachable and at times light-hearted figure holding court for over an hour in what have become semi-regular discussions with football media. Similarly have the fortunes of his team improved, with memories of a defeat to Bahrain and draw with Indonesia appearing quite distant after successes over Japan and Saudi Arabia in June booked the Socceroos’ spot in next year’s international tournament.

Those wins 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 performance that has taken the Socceroos to the surprising edge of entering pot two in the World Cup draw. The results of November warm-up matches against Venezuela, at the moment ranked 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 – carry weight in this context.

Even though Popovic acknowledges that he began in the job assuming to only be able to rely on a key players of players, he now thinks the group he can call upon has grown. This doesn't only come 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 obscurity and Paul Izzo’s development into a bona fide 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 entered,” 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 believe like there are 15, 20 players that have come into that, and I’m convinced there are more to come that I trust can help make us better as a squad at the World Cup.”

This unexpected appearance of talent, and the change in thinking it has inspired in Popovic, has opened the door for players on the fringes of the squad. Even those not yet viewed amongst those ranks can remain optimistic that, in June next year, they could be on the roster. 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 – continues to play steadily, then the coach is emphasizing they’re highly likely of being part of his plans.

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

But this broadening, in a way, leads back to Popovic’s initial talk as Socceroos head coach. For just as much as he wants players to exceed expectations him, to do something outstanding and go beyond the predictions others have for them, he wants his team to have the same philosophy.

“Saying I want to do something exceptional is just ‘we don’t want to have boundaries’,” Popovic says. “We don’t want to pigeonhole ourselves into ‘let’s be competitors at the World Cup, and let’s go home and congratulate ourselves 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 cheering something special from the Socceroos? Why should we have limits? Why not do it now?”