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The moment Tony Popovic finally assembled his initial Socceroos squad, the recently appointed coach presented a series of expectations. A lot were straightforward and concise – suitable in light of the turmoil surrounding his sudden entry, after Graham Arnold’s departure, and with under three weeks to prepare for critical 2026 World Cup qualifiers against China and Japan.

Popovic insisted that any player who aimed to wear a Socceroos shirt would need to adopt an “elite” attitude to earn, or continue to earn that privilege. But there was a further message. Less a demand and a call to greatness – and one that has been cast more distinctly into perspective with each step taken on the road towards the World Cup in North America.

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

Approximately a year on from that team talk in an Adelaide hotel, many of other things have evolved, even if Popovic’s expectations remain the same. The coach, for one, appears genuinely settled as Socceroos boss. The 52-year-old’s standing for austerity sharply contrasts with the open and at times jovial figure holding court for over an hour in what have become semi-regular interviews with football media. So too have the results of his team changed, with recollections of a setback to Bahrain and draw with Indonesia appearing quite remote after wins over Japan and Saudi Arabia in June guaranteed the Socceroos’ place in next year’s international tournament.

Those victories came as part of an 11-game unbeaten run under Popovic, one that was only snapped away by the United States earlier this month. It’s momentum that has taken the Socceroos to the surprising precipice of crashing pot two in the World Cup draw. The performances of November warm-up matches against Venezuela, at the moment positioned 50th in the world, and 13th-ranked Colombia – as well as Ecuador’s games against Canada and New Zealand, and the remaining games of European qualifying – carry weight in this regard.

While Popovic acknowledges that he arrived in the job assuming to only be able to rely on a core group of players, he now thinks the pool he can rely on has grown. This isn’t just through the rise of youngsters such as Nestory Irankunda, Max Balard, or Mohamed Touré as authentic international players. There are also the likes of Miloš Degenek’s comeback from the obscurity and Paul Izzo’s development into a bona fide Socceroos keeper with the potential to compete with Maty Ryan.

“The squad has totally changed in my mind – of what’s attainable with players that have entered,” Popovic says. “I first thought, ‘OK, this is my group; I don’t truly have much apart from this. Just get by and make them better.’ Now, I think like there are 15, 20 players that have joined that, and I’m sure there are others to come that I feel can help make us better as a squad at the World Cup.”

This surprising rise of talent, and the shift in mindset 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 keep faith that, in 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 – keeps to perform consistently, then the coach is making clear they’re every chance of being part of his plans.

“I don’t want to put a cap or a halt 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 feel that they have an chance. Why can’t there be an additional player that joins in June?”

But this growth, in a way, leads back to Popovic’s first speech as Socceroos head coach. For just as much as he wants players to impress him, to do something remarkable and go beyond the predictions others have for them, he wants his team to have the same philosophy.

“Saying I want to do something unique 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 celebrate for being there’.

“I keep saying it to the group: one day, Australia will go very far 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?”