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As soon as Tony Popovic eventually brought together his initial Socceroos squad, the fresh coach outlined a set of expectations. A lot were straightforward and direct – ideal given the disruption surrounding his abrupt arrival, after Graham Arnold’s resignation, and with fewer than three weeks to make arrangements for critical 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 “premier” mentality to earn, or continue to earn that distinction. But there was an additional theme. Less a demand and an invitation to excel – and one that has been brought more distinctly into focus with every step taken on the path towards the World Cup in North America.

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

Approximately a year on from that gathering in an Adelaide hotel, plenty of other things have changed, even if Popovic’s goals remain the same. The coach, for one, appears genuinely settled as Socceroos head. The 52-year-old’s reputation for strictness sharply contrasts with the approachable and at times light-hearted figure engaging openly for over an hour in what have become periodic interviews with football media. So too have the performances of his team changed, with memories of a defeat to Bahrain and tie with Indonesia appearing quite remote after victories over Japan and Saudi Arabia in June secured 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 broken away by the United States earlier this month. It’s form that has taken the Socceroos to the unlikely edge of crashing 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 last games of European qualifying – loom large in this context.

Although Popovic concedes that he started in the job thinking to only be able to depend on a core group of players, he now thinks the selection he can rely on has swelled. This doesn't only come through the emergence of talented youth such as Nestory Irankunda, Max Balard, or Mohamed Touré as authentic international players. There are also the cases of Miloš Degenek’s return from the sidelines and Paul Izzo’s development into a true 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 apart from this. Just make it work 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 believe can help make us better as a squad at the World Cup.”

This unexpected rise of talent, and the shift in mindset it has brought about in Popovic, has created opportunities for players on the edges of the squad. Even those not yet considered amongst those group can keep faith that, in June next year, they could be on the plane. 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 play steadily, then the coach is making clear they’re highly likely 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 additions,” Popovic says. “No, I want every player to believe that they have an possibility. Why can’t there be one more player that joins in June?”

But this broadening, in a way, returns us to Popovic’s initial talk as Socceroos head coach. For just as much as he wants players to exceed expectations him, to do something special and go beyond the predictions 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 restrictions’,” Popovic says. “We don’t want to confine ourselves into ‘let’s be competitors at the World Cup, and let’s go home and celebrate for being there’.

“I emphasize it to the group: one day, Australia will go a long way 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 special from the Socceroos? Why should we have boundaries? Why not do it now?”