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As soon as Tony Popovic eventually gathered his maiden Socceroos squad, the fresh coach outlined a series of standards. The majority were unambiguous and concise – ideal in light of the turmoil around his sudden appointment, in the wake of Graham Arnold’s departure, and with under three weeks to make arrangements for crucial 2026 World Cup qualifiers against China and Japan.

Popovic insisted that any player who hoped to pull on a Socceroos shirt would need to embrace an “premier” mentality to earn, or maintain that distinction. But there was another theme. Not so much an order and an invitation to excel – and one that has been thrown more distinctly into view with any step taken on the journey towards the World Cup in North America.

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

A little more than a year on from that meeting in an Adelaide hotel, many of other things have changed, even if Popovic’s ambitions stay the same. The coach, for one, seems genuinely comfortable as Socceroos head. 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 frequent discussions with football media. So too have the performances of his team progressed, with memories of a setback to Bahrain and draw with Indonesia seeming quite far off after victories over Japan and Saudi Arabia in June secured the Socceroos’ spot 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 edge of crashing pot two in the World Cup draw. The performances of November exhibition games 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 – loom large in this respect.

While Popovic concedes that he began in the job expecting to only be able to count on a main squad of players, he now thinks the selection he can rely on has grown. This isn’t just through the breakthrough of youngsters such as Nestory Irankunda, Max Balard, or Mohamed Touré as real international players. There are also the examples of Miloš Degenek’s reappearance from the wilderness and Paul Izzo’s blossoming into a bona fide 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 joined,” Popovic says. “I first thought, ‘OK, this is my group; I don’t really have much beyond this. Just make it work and make them better.’ Now, I believe like there are 15, 20 players that have come into that, and I’m convinced there are others to come that I trust can help make us better as a squad at the World Cup.”

This surprising rise of talent, and the transformation in mindset it has sparked in Popovic, has created opportunities for players on the edges of the squad. Even those not yet viewed within those circle can keep faith that, come 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 play steadily, then the coach is making clear they’re highly likely of being part of his plans.

“I don’t want to put a cap or a halt 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 believe that they have an opportunity. Why can’t there be one more player that comes in in June?”

But this expansion, in a way, leads back to Popovic’s first talk as Socceroos head coach. For just as much as he wants players to impress him, to do something special and exceed the expectations 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 pigeonhole ourselves into ‘let’s be participants at the World Cup, and let’s go home and celebrate for being there’.

“I repeat 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 sitting back and applauding something remarkable from the Socceroos? Why should we have boundaries? Why not do it now?”