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As soon as Tony Popovic at last brought together his first Socceroos squad, the fresh coach presented a series of expectations. Most were clear and concise – perfect considering the disruption surrounding his unexpected entry, following Graham Arnold’s resignation, and with fewer than three weeks to make arrangements for crucial 2026 World Cup qualifying matches against China and Japan.

Popovic asserted that any player who aspired to pull on a Socceroos shirt would need to take on an “top-tier” attitude to earn, or keep that honour. But there was another theme. Not so much an order and a call to greatness – and one that has been cast clearer into view with each step taken on the journey towards the World Cup in North America.

“My hopes were to do something extraordinary, in my introductory talk to the players,” Popovic says. “That hasn’t changed.”

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, seems genuinely comfortable as Socceroos manager. The 52-year-old’s reputation for austerity differs greatly with the approachable and at times jovial figure holding court for over an hour in what have become periodic discussions with football media. So too have the performances of his team progressed, with recollections of a setback to Bahrain and stalemate with Indonesia feeling rather far off after successes over Japan and Saudi Arabia in June booked the Socceroos’ spot in next year’s international tournament.

Those wins came as part of an 11-game unbeaten run under Popovic, one that was only broken away by the United States earlier this month. It’s form that has taken the Socceroos to the unexpected brink of crashing pot two in the World Cup draw. The outcomes of November friendlies against Venezuela, currently 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 – carry weight in this respect.

While Popovic admits that he began in the job thinking to only be able to rely on a core group of players, he now believes the selection he can call upon has grown. This is not only through the emergence of talented youth such as Nestory Irankunda, Max Balard, or Mohamed Touré as real international players. There are also the likes of Miloš Degenek’s return from the wilderness and Paul Izzo’s growth into a genuine Socceroos keeper with the ability to compete with Maty Ryan.

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

This surprising appearance of talent, and the transformation in mindset it has brought about in Popovic, has created opportunities for players on the fringes of the squad. Even those not yet regarded among those circle can hold out hope that, come June next year, they could be on the roster. 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 – persists to deliver steadily, then the coach is making clear 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 new faces,” Popovic says. “No, I want every player to feel that they have an possibility. Why can’t there be another player that comes in in June?”

But this broadening, in a way, returns us to Popovic’s introductory talk 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 attitude.

“Saying I want to do something special is just ‘we don’t want to have restrictions’,” Popovic says. “We don’t want to box 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 emphasize it to the group: one day, Australia will go a long way 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 special from the Socceroos? Why should we have boundaries? Why not do it now?”