🔗 Share this article

The moment Tony Popovic finally gathered his maiden Socceroos squad, the recently appointed coach presented a series of expectations. Most were unambiguous and to the point – perfect considering the upheaval following his abrupt appointment, in the wake of Graham Arnold’s departure, and with under three weeks to make arrangements for critical 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” mentality to deserve, or continue to earn that distinction. But there was a further point. More an inspiration 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 extraordinary, in my initial talk to the players,” Popovic says. “That hasn’t changed.”

Approximately a year on from that gathering in an Adelaide hotel, plenty of other things have evolved, even if Popovic’s ambitions stay the same. The coach, for one, appears truly comfortable as Socceroos head. The 52-year-old’s standing for strictness stands in stark contrast with the expansive and at times cheerful figure engaging openly for over an hour in what have become frequent sit-downs with football media. Likewise have the fortunes of his team improved, with memories of a defeat to Bahrain and stalemate with Indonesia seeming fairly remote after successes over Japan and Saudi Arabia in June guaranteed the Socceroos’ berth in next year’s worldwide tournament.

Those wins came as part of an 11-game unbeaten run 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 results of November friendlies against Venezuela, at the moment 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 – are significant in this regard.

Even though Popovic admits that he arrived in the job assuming to only be able to count on a key players of players, he now thinks the pool he can trust has grown. This isn’t just through the emergence of talented youth such as Nestory Irankunda, Max Balard, or Mohamed Touré as genuine international players. There are also the examples of Miloš Degenek’s reappearance from the obscurity and Paul Izzo’s growth into a bona fide Socceroos keeper with the capability to compete with Maty Ryan.

“The squad has entirely changed in my mind – of what’s achievable 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 get by and make them better.’ Now, I feel like there are 15, 20 players that have entered that, and I’m sure there are others to come that I feel can help make us better as a squad at the World Cup.”

This unforeseen rise of talent, and the change in mindset it has brought about in Popovic, has opened the door for players on the edges of the squad. Even those not yet regarded among those group can hold out hope that, come June next year, they could be on the flight. 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 regularly, 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 stop 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 chance. Why can’t there be one more player that joins in June?”

But this expansion, in a way, brings us back 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 rise above the predictions others have for them, he wants his team to have the same attitude.

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