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The moment Tony Popovic eventually gathered his initial Socceroos squad, the recently appointed coach outlined a range of expectations. Most were clear and direct – perfect in light of the disruption surrounding his unexpected entry, after 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 insisted that any player who aimed to wear a Socceroos shirt would need to take on an “elite” mentality to earn, or continue to earn that distinction. But there was a further point. Not so much an order and more an evocation – and one that has been thrown more distinctly into perspective with each step taken on the path towards the World Cup in North America.

“My expectations were to do something extraordinary, in my initial talk to the players,” Popovic says. “That remains the same.”

Just over a year on from that team talk in an Adelaide hotel, many of other things have evolved, even if Popovic’s ambitions stay the same. The coach, for one, looks truly settled as Socceroos boss. The 52-year-old’s image for strictness sharply contrasts with the expansive and at times cheerful figure speaking freely for over an hour in what have become frequent discussions with football media. Likewise have the performances of his team changed, with thoughts of a loss to Bahrain and tie with Indonesia feeling rather distant after successes over Japan and Saudi Arabia in June guaranteed the Socceroos’ berth in next year’s worldwide tournament.

Those victories 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 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, presently positioned 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 regard.

While Popovic concedes that he started in the job expecting to only be able to depend on a core group of players, he now feels the selection he can rely on has grown. This is not only through the emergence of youngsters such as Nestory Irankunda, Max Balard, or Mohamed Touré as real international players. There are also the cases of Miloš Degenek’s comeback from the obscurity and Paul Izzo’s blossoming into a genuine Socceroos keeper with the capability to push 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 apart from this. Just make it work and make them better.’ Now, I think like there are 15, 20 players that have come into that, and I’m certain there are more to come that I feel can help make us better as a squad at the World Cup.”

This unforeseen appearance of talent, and the shift in thinking it has sparked in Popovic, has paved the way for players on the edges of the squad. Even those not yet viewed amongst those ranks can hold out hope that, in June next year, they could be on the plane. 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 – continues to play steadily, then the coach is emphasizing they’re every chance of being part of his plans.

“I don’t want to put a restriction or a halt on that – to announce 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 chance. Why can’t there be an additional player that steps up in June?”

But this expansion, 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 outstanding and exceed the predictions others have for them, he wants his team to have the same philosophy.

“Saying I want to do something unique is just ‘we don’t want to have boundaries’,” 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 repeat 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 observing and cheering something exceptional from the Socceroos? Why should we have limits? Why not do it now?”