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When Tony Popovic eventually assembled his maiden Socceroos squad, the new coach outlined a series of standards. Most were clear and to the point – perfect in light of the upheaval around his abrupt appointment, following Graham Arnold’s departure, and with fewer than three weeks to get ready for critical 2026 World Cup fixtures 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 keep that privilege. But there was a further message. More an inspiration and a call to greatness – and one that has been thrown more distinctly into view with every step taken on the road towards the World Cup in North America.

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

Approximately a year on from that team talk in an Adelaide hotel, a lot of other things have evolved, even if Popovic’s ambitions are the same. The coach, for one, looks truly comfortable as Socceroos manager. The 52-year-old’s image for strictness sharply contrasts with the approachable and at times cheerful figure speaking freely for over an hour in what have become frequent sit-downs with football media. Similarly have the fortunes of his team progressed, with memories of a defeat to Bahrain and stalemate with Indonesia feeling fairly distant after successes over Japan and Saudi Arabia in June secured the Socceroos’ place in next year’s worldwide tournament.

Those wins 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 performance that has taken the Socceroos to the unlikely brink of entering pot two in the World Cup draw. The results of November exhibition games against Venezuela, presently positioned 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 – carry weight in this context.

Even though Popovic concedes that he arrived in the job expecting to only be able to count on a main squad of players, he now thinks the group he can call upon has swelled. This isn’t just through the rise of young players 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 obscurity and Paul Izzo’s blossoming into a true Socceroos keeper with the potential to compete with Maty Ryan.

“The squad has totally 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 get by and make them better.’ Now, I feel like there are 15, 20 players that have come into that, and I’m certain there are more to come that I feel can help make us better as a squad at the World Cup.”

This surprising rise of talent, and the transformation in outlook it has sparked in Popovic, has paved the way for players on the fringes of the squad. Even those not yet viewed within those ranks can hold out hope that, come June next year, they could be on the flight. A player like Adrian Segečić might be about to miss a month of playing due to an ankle injury, but if he – or any other player – continues to play steadily, 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 end on that – to announce 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 believe that they have an chance. Why can’t there be an additional player that comes in in June?”

But this broadening, in a way, leads back to Popovic’s initial address as Socceroos head coach. For just as much as he wants players to impress him, to do something outstanding and rise above the hopes others have for them, he wants his team to have the same mindset.

“Saying I want to do something exceptional 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 pat each other on the back for being there’.

“I repeat 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 sitting back and praising something special from the Socceroos? Why should we have restrictions? Why not do it now?”