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The moment Tony Popovic eventually brought together his initial Socceroos squad, the fresh coach detailed a range of standards. The majority were straightforward and concise – suitable given the disruption around his sudden arrival, after Graham Arnold’s resignation, and with fewer than three weeks to prepare for vital 2026 World Cup qualifiers against China and Japan.

Popovic asserted that any player who aimed to represent in a Socceroos shirt would need to embrace an “top-tier” mindset to deserve, or continue to earn that privilege. But there was a further theme. More an inspiration and more an evocation – and one that has been brought sharper into perspective with any step taken on the road towards the World Cup in North America.

“My hopes were to do something remarkable, in my first 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 ambitions are the same. The coach, for one, looks truly at home as Socceroos head. The 52-year-old’s image for strictness stands in stark contrast with the expansive and at times cheerful figure speaking freely for over an hour in what have become frequent interviews with football media. Likewise have the performances of his team progressed, with thoughts of a loss to Bahrain and draw with Indonesia seeming fairly remote after wins over Japan and Saudi Arabia in June booked the Socceroos’ spot in next year’s international tournament.

Those triumphs came as part of an 11-game undefeated 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 precipice of crashing pot two in the World Cup draw. The results of November warm-up matches against Venezuela, presently 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 – carry weight in this respect.

While Popovic admits that he began in the job expecting to only be able to depend on a core group of players, he now believes the group he can call upon has expanded. This isn’t just through the rise of youngsters such as Nestory Irankunda, Max Balard, or Mohamed Touré as genuine international players. There are also the cases of Miloš Degenek’s comeback from the obscurity and Paul Izzo’s growth into a genuine Socceroos keeper with the capability to compete with Maty Ryan.

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

This unforeseen 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 considered amongst those circle can remain optimistic that, come 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 – keeps to perform consistently, then the coach is emphasizing they’re highly likely of being part of his plans.

“I don’t want to put a cap or a end on that – to declare in March that this is our squad, and there may be one or two more inclusions,” Popovic says. “No, I want every player to know that they have an opportunity. Why can’t there be another player that comes in in June?”

But this expansion, in a way, leads back to Popovic’s first address as Socceroos head coach. For just as much as he wants players to surprise him, to do something special and exceed the predictions 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 restrictions’,” Popovic says. “We don’t want to confine ourselves into ‘let’s be contenders at the World Cup, and let’s go home and pat each other on the back 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 sitting back and cheering something exceptional from the Socceroos? Why should we have restrictions? Why not do it now?”