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As soon as Tony Popovic finally gathered his initial Socceroos squad, the recently appointed coach presented a set of standards. A lot were unambiguous and concise – perfect given the disruption surrounding his abrupt entry, in the wake of Graham Arnold’s departure, and with under three weeks to prepare for critical 2026 World Cup qualifying matches against China and Japan.

Popovic maintained that any player who aspired to wear a Socceroos shirt would need to embrace an “elite” mentality to deserve, or keep that distinction. But there was a further point. More an inspiration and an invitation to excel – and one that has been thrown more distinctly into view with each step taken on the road towards the World Cup in North America.

“My expectations were to do something extraordinary, 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 goals are the same. The coach, for one, seems genuinely settled as Socceroos head. The 52-year-old’s image for austerity sharply contrasts with the expansive and at times light-hearted figure speaking freely for over an hour in what have become semi-regular sit-downs with football media. Similarly have the fortunes of his team changed, with recollections of a loss to Bahrain and tie with Indonesia seeming quite far off after successes over Japan and Saudi Arabia in June guaranteed the Socceroos’ spot in next year’s worldwide 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 performance that has taken the Socceroos to the surprising brink of crashing pot two in the World Cup draw. The results of November exhibition games against Venezuela, at the moment ranked 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 – loom large in this regard.

Although Popovic concedes that he began in the job thinking to only be able to count on a main squad of players, he now believes the group he can trust has expanded. This is not only through the breakthrough of talented youth 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 growth into a bona fide Socceroos keeper with the capability to challenge Maty Ryan.

“The squad has completely 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 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 convinced there are others to come that I believe can help make us better as a squad at the World Cup.”

This unexpected rise of talent, and the change in mindset it has brought about in Popovic, has created opportunities for players on the periphery of the squad. Even those not yet regarded among those group 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 – continues to deliver steadily, then the coach is stating plainly they’re highly likely of being part of his plans.

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

But this growth, in a way, leads back to Popovic’s introductory address 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 attitude.

“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 contenders at the World Cup, and let’s go home and celebrate 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 applauding something remarkable from the Socceroos? Why should we have boundaries? Why not do it now?”