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As soon as Tony Popovic at last brought together his maiden Socceroos squad, the new coach presented a range of standards. A lot were unambiguous and concise – perfect given the turmoil around his abrupt arrival, following Graham Arnold’s exit, and with fewer than three weeks to make arrangements for vital 2026 World Cup qualifying matches against China and Japan.

Popovic maintained that any player who hoped to wear a Socceroos shirt would need to embrace an “premier” mentality to secure, or continue to earn that distinction. But there was another message. Less a demand and more an evocation – and one that has been brought sharper into focus with each step taken on the journey towards the World Cup in North America.

“My hopes were to do something remarkable, in my initial talk to the players,” Popovic says. “That stays constant.”

Just over a year on from that meeting in an Adelaide hotel, many of other things have shifted, even if Popovic’s ambitions stay the same. The coach, for one, looks truly comfortable as Socceroos boss. The 52-year-old’s reputation for discipline differs greatly with the expansive and at times jovial figure speaking freely for over an hour in what have become semi-regular sit-downs with football media. So too have the fortunes of his team progressed, with thoughts of a setback to Bahrain and tie with Indonesia appearing rather remote after wins over Japan and Saudi Arabia in June secured the Socceroos’ spot in next year’s worldwide tournament.

Those victories came as part of an 11-game undefeated streak under Popovic, one that was only ended away by the United States earlier this month. It’s form that has taken the Socceroos to the unlikely brink of entering pot two in the World Cup draw. The performances of November exhibition games against Venezuela, currently 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 – are significant in this context.

Even though Popovic acknowledges that he started in the job assuming to only be able to count on a core group of players, he now thinks the group he can trust has grown. 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 cases of Miloš Degenek’s return from the obscurity and Paul Izzo’s development into a genuine Socceroos keeper with the potential to challenge 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 manage and make them better.’ Now, I believe like there are 15, 20 players that have come into that, and I’m sure 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 shift in thinking it has inspired in Popovic, has opened the door for players on the periphery of the squad. Even those not yet regarded within those group can keep faith that, come June next year, they could be on the roster. 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 regularly, then the coach is stating plainly they’re highly likely of being part of his plans.

“I don’t want to put a limit or a stop on that – to declare in March that this is our squad, and there may be one or two more additions,” Popovic says. “No, I want every player to feel that they have an chance. Why can’t there be an additional player that steps up in June?”

But this broadening, in a way, brings us back to Popovic’s first speech as Socceroos head coach. For just as much as he wants players to surprise him, to do something special and rise above the predictions others have for them, he wants his team to have the same mindset.

“Saying I want to do something unique is just ‘we don’t want to have limits’,” Popovic says. “We don’t want to box ourselves into ‘let’s be competitors 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 remarkable from the Socceroos? Why should we have restrictions? Why not do it now?”