🔗 Share this article

The moment Tony Popovic finally assembled his maiden Socceroos squad, the new coach outlined a set of standards. The majority were unambiguous and direct – suitable given the turmoil following his unexpected appointment, after Graham Arnold’s departure, and with under three weeks to get ready for critical 2026 World Cup qualifying matches against China and Japan.

Popovic asserted that any player who aimed to pull on a Socceroos shirt would need to take on an “premier” mentality to earn, or keep that honour. But there was a further message. Less a demand and a call to greatness – and one that has been thrown clearer into view with every step taken on the road towards the World Cup in North America.

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

A little more than a year on from that gathering in an Adelaide hotel, many of other things have changed, even if Popovic’s ambitions remain the same. The coach, for one, seems truly settled as Socceroos manager. The 52-year-old’s image for strictness differs greatly with the approachable and at times cheerful figure engaging openly for over an hour in what have become semi-regular sit-downs with football media. So too have the performances of his team changed, with thoughts of a defeat to Bahrain and tie with Indonesia appearing fairly distant after wins over Japan and Saudi Arabia in June secured the Socceroos’ spot in next year’s international tournament.

Those triumphs came as part of an 11-game winning streak under Popovic, one that was only ended away by the United States earlier this month. It’s momentum that has taken the Socceroos to the surprising precipice of entering pot two in the World Cup draw. The outcomes of November warm-up matches against Venezuela, presently 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 context.

While Popovic concedes that he started in the job assuming to only be able to rely on a core group of players, he now believes the group he can trust has swelled. This isn’t just through the breakthrough of talented youth such as Nestory Irankunda, Max Balard, or Mohamed Touré as authentic international players. There are also the likes of Miloš Degenek’s comeback from the obscurity and Paul Izzo’s development into a true Socceroos keeper with the potential to challenge Maty Ryan.

“The squad has entirely 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 truly have much beyond 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 sure there are others to come that I believe can help make us better as a squad at the World Cup.”

This unexpected emergence of talent, and the shift in thinking it has brought about in Popovic, has opened the door for players on the fringes of the squad. Even those not yet considered amongst those circle can remain optimistic that, by 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 – keeps to perform steadily, then the coach is making clear they’re every chance of being part of his plans.

“I don’t want to put a limit 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 believe that they have an possibility. Why can’t there be an additional player that steps up in June?”

But this broadening, in a way, returns us to Popovic’s first talk as Socceroos head coach. For just as much as he wants players to impress him, to do something outstanding and rise above the expectations others have for them, he wants his team to have the same philosophy.

“Saying I want to do something special is just ‘we don’t want to have restrictions’,” Popovic says. “We don’t want to pigeonhole 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 sitting back and cheering something exceptional from the Socceroos? Why should we have limits? Why not do it now?”