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As soon as Tony Popovic finally gathered his first Socceroos squad, the recently appointed coach outlined a set of standards. The majority were unambiguous and concise – suitable in light of the disruption around his abrupt arrival, after Graham Arnold’s exit, and with under three weeks to make arrangements for crucial 2026 World Cup qualifiers against China and Japan.

Popovic insisted that any player who aspired to wear a Socceroos shirt would need to embrace an “premier” attitude to earn, or keep that distinction. But there was an additional point. Not so much an order and a call to greatness – and one that has been brought more distinctly into perspective with each step taken on the path towards the World Cup in North America.

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

Just over a year on from that meeting in an Adelaide hotel, a lot of other things have shifted, even if Popovic’s ambitions stay the same. The coach, for one, looks really settled as Socceroos boss. The 52-year-old’s reputation for strictness stands in stark contrast with the open and at times cheerful figure holding court for over an hour in what have become frequent discussions with football media. Likewise have the performances of his team improved, with memories of a defeat to Bahrain and stalemate with Indonesia feeling quite far off after wins over Japan and Saudi Arabia in June guaranteed the Socceroos’ place in next year’s international tournament.

Those wins 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 momentum that has taken the Socceroos to the surprising precipice of crashing pot two in the World Cup draw. The performances of November friendlies 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 remaining games of European qualifying – are significant in this respect.

Although Popovic admits that he started in the job thinking to only be able to depend on a core group of players, he now feels the group he can trust has expanded. This is not only through the breakthrough of youngsters such as Nestory Irankunda, Max Balard, or Mohamed Touré as authentic international players. There are also the examples of Miloš Degenek’s reappearance from the obscurity and Paul Izzo’s blossoming into a genuine Socceroos keeper with the capability to compete with Maty Ryan.

“The squad has completely changed in my mind – of what’s achievable 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 manage and make them better.’ Now, I believe like there are 15, 20 players that have joined that, and I’m convinced there are more to come that I believe can help make us better as a squad at the World Cup.”

This unforeseen emergence of talent, and the change in thinking it has brought about in Popovic, has paved the way for players on the edges of the squad. Even those not yet viewed among those circle can remain optimistic that, by June next year, they could be on the roster. A player like Adrian Segečić might be about to be absent for a month of playing due to an ankle injury, but if he – or any other player – persists to perform consistently, 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 limit or a stop 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 know that they have an opportunity. Why can’t there be one more player that joins in June?”

But this broadening, in a way, leads back to Popovic’s initial address as Socceroos head coach. For just as much as he wants players to surprise him, to do something remarkable and go beyond the expectations 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 limits’,” Popovic says. “We don’t want to confine 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 watching and cheering something remarkable from the Socceroos? Why should we have restrictions? Why not do it now?”