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The moment Tony Popovic eventually brought together his first Socceroos squad, the new coach detailed a range of requirements. A lot were unambiguous and direct – perfect in light of the turmoil following his unexpected appointment, in the wake of Graham Arnold’s exit, and with under three weeks to get ready for vital 2026 World Cup qualifying matches against China and Japan.

Popovic maintained that any player who aspired to represent in a Socceroos shirt would need to take on an “elite” attitude to secure, or maintain that privilege. But there was a further message. More an inspiration and an invitation to excel – and one that has been brought more distinctly into view with each step taken on the road towards the World Cup in North America.

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

A little more than a year on from that team talk in an Adelaide hotel, many of other things have changed, even if Popovic’s ambitions stay the same. The coach, for one, looks truly comfortable as Socceroos head. The 52-year-old’s image for austerity sharply contrasts with the expansive and at times jovial figure holding court for over an hour in what have become frequent discussions with football media. Similarly have the performances of his team improved, with memories of a defeat to Bahrain and draw with Indonesia feeling quite remote after wins over Japan and Saudi Arabia in June guaranteed the Socceroos’ spot in next year’s worldwide tournament.

Those triumphs came as part of an 11-game winning streak under Popovic, one that was only ended 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, 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 regard.

While Popovic acknowledges that he began in the job expecting to only be able to rely on a key players of players, he now believes the selection he can rely on has swelled. This isn’t just through the emergence of youngsters such as Nestory Irankunda, Max Balard, or Mohamed Touré as authentic international players. There are also the examples of Miloš Degenek’s return from the sidelines and Paul Izzo’s growth into a true Socceroos keeper with the potential to challenge Maty Ryan.

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

This surprising appearance of talent, and the change in outlook it has inspired in Popovic, has created opportunities for players on the edges of the squad. Even those not yet viewed within those ranks can remain optimistic that, come June next year, they could be on the plane. 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 – persists to play regularly, then the coach is stating plainly they’re in with a shot 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 inclusions,” Popovic says. “No, I want every player to believe that they have an opportunity. Why can’t there be an additional player that comes in 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 surprise him, to do something outstanding and exceed the expectations others have for them, he wants his team to have the same philosophy.

“Saying I want to do something exceptional is just ‘we don’t want to have boundaries’,” Popovic says. “We don’t want to confine ourselves into ‘let’s be contenders at the World Cup, and let’s go home and congratulate ourselves for being there’.

“I keep saying 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 watching and applauding something remarkable from the Socceroos? Why should we have boundaries? Why not do it now?”