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As soon as Tony Popovic at last gathered his initial Socceroos squad, the recently appointed coach outlined a range of requirements. A lot were straightforward and concise – suitable in light of the turmoil following his unexpected arrival, following Graham Arnold’s resignation, and with less than three weeks to make arrangements for crucial 2026 World Cup qualifiers against China and Japan.

Popovic maintained that any player who aspired to wear a Socceroos shirt would need to adopt an “top-tier” mindset to deserve, or keep that privilege. But there was another message. Less a demand and more an evocation – and one that has been thrown sharper into view with any step taken on the journey towards the World Cup in North America.

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

Approximately a year on from that gathering in an Adelaide hotel, plenty of other things have evolved, even if Popovic’s ambitions stay the same. The coach, for one, seems truly settled as Socceroos boss. The 52-year-old’s image 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. Similarly have the results of his team progressed, with recollections of a setback to Bahrain and draw with Indonesia appearing fairly distant after successes over Japan and Saudi Arabia in June guaranteed the Socceroos’ berth in next year’s worldwide tournament.

Those victories came as part of an 11-game undefeated streak under Popovic, one that was only snapped away by the United States earlier this month. It’s performance that has taken the Socceroos to the unexpected edge of crashing pot two in the World Cup draw. The results of November friendlies against Venezuela, currently placed 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 – are significant in this respect.

While Popovic concedes that he arrived in the job assuming to only be able to depend on a key players of players, he now thinks the pool he can trust has grown. This doesn't only come through the breakthrough of youngsters such as Nestory Irankunda, Max Balard, or Mohamed Touré as genuine international players. There are also the examples of Miloš Degenek’s return from the obscurity and Paul Izzo’s blossoming into a genuine Socceroos keeper with the ability to push 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 really 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 certain there are others to come that I believe can help make us better as a squad at the World Cup.”

This unexpected emergence of talent, and the change in mindset it has sparked in Popovic, has opened the door for players on the fringes of the squad. Even those not yet considered among those group can remain optimistic that, by 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 – continues to deliver steadily, then the coach is emphasizing they’re every chance of being part of his plans.

“I don’t want to put a limit or a end 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 believe that they have an chance. Why can’t there be another player that steps up in June?”

But this expansion, in a way, leads back to Popovic’s first talk as Socceroos head coach. For just as much as he wants players to impress him, to do something special and exceed 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 boundaries’,” 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 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 restrictions? Why not do it now?”