{‘Why do we have to wait?’: Popovic imposes no restrictions on what the Socceroos can achieve.

When Tony Popovic finally gathered his maiden Socceroos squad, the fresh coach presented a series of requirements. A lot were unambiguous and direct – ideal in light of the upheaval surrounding his unexpected appointment, following Graham Arnold’s resignation, and with fewer than three weeks to prepare for vital 2026 World Cup qualifying matches against China and Japan.

Popovic maintained that any player who hoped to wear a Socceroos shirt would need to take on an “top-tier” attitude to deserve, or continue to earn that distinction. But there was an additional theme. Not so much an order and a call to greatness – and one that has been cast more distinctly into perspective with any step taken on the path towards the World Cup in North America.

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

Just over a year on from that gathering in an Adelaide hotel, many of other things have shifted, even if Popovic’s expectations are the same. The coach, for one, seems truly comfortable as Socceroos boss. 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 periodic discussions with football media. So too have the performances of his team progressed, with thoughts of a defeat to Bahrain and stalemate with Indonesia feeling rather far off after successes over Japan and Saudi Arabia in June secured the Socceroos’ spot 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 momentum that has taken the Socceroos to the unexpected edge of entering pot two in the World Cup draw. The outcomes of November exhibition games 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 – carry weight in this respect.

Although Popovic admits that he began in the job expecting to only be able to count on a core group of players, he now believes the pool he can call upon has swelled. This is not only through the emergence of youngsters such as Nestory Irankunda, Max Balard, or Mohamed Touré as authentic international players. There are also the likes of Miloš Degenek’s reappearance from the obscurity and Paul Izzo’s blossoming into a bona fide Socceroos keeper with the potential to challenge Maty Ryan.

“The squad has entirely changed in my mind – of what’s achievable with players that have joined,” Popovic says. “I first thought, ‘OK, this is my group; I don’t fully have much beyond this. Just make it work and make them better.’ Now, I feel like there are 15, 20 players that have entered that, and I’m convinced there are additional ones to come that I believe can help make us better as a squad at the World Cup.”

This unexpected appearance of talent, and the change in mindset it has sparked in Popovic, has paved the way for players on the fringes of the squad. Even those not yet considered within those circle can hold out hope that, by 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 – keeps to perform steadily, then the coach is stating plainly they’re every chance of being part of his plans.

“I don’t want to put a cap or a stop on that – to declare in March that this is our squad, and there may be one or two more additions,” 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 growth, in a way, brings us back to Popovic’s first speech as Socceroos head coach. For just as much as he wants players to surprise 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 special is just ‘we don’t want to have boundaries’,” Popovic says. “We don’t want to box ourselves into ‘let’s be competitors at the World Cup, and let’s go home and congratulate ourselves for being there’.

“I repeat 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 special from the Socceroos? Why should we have limits? Why not do it now?”