{‘Why do we have to wait?’: Popovic places no boundaries on what the Socceroos can attain.

When Tony Popovic at last gathered his maiden Socceroos squad, the fresh coach presented a series of expectations. The majority were unambiguous and to the point – ideal considering the turmoil surrounding his unexpected arrival, in the wake of Graham Arnold’s departure, and with under three weeks to get ready for crucial 2026 World Cup qualifying matches against China and Japan.

Popovic maintained that any player who aspired to wear a Socceroos shirt would need to adopt an “elite” mentality to secure, or continue to earn that honour. But there was an additional point. More an inspiration and an invitation to excel – and one that has been brought clearer into perspective with any step taken on the road towards the World Cup in North America.

“My hopes 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, a lot of other things have shifted, even if Popovic’s ambitions stay the same. The coach, for one, seems truly settled as Socceroos boss. The 52-year-old’s standing for austerity differs greatly with the approachable and at times light-hearted figure speaking freely for over an hour in what have become frequent interviews with football media. Similarly have the results of his team changed, with recollections of a loss to Bahrain and tie with Indonesia seeming quite distant after successes over Japan and Saudi Arabia in June secured the Socceroos’ place in next year’s international tournament.

Those victories 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 performance that has taken the Socceroos to the unlikely edge of entering 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 – loom large in this respect.

While Popovic concedes that he began in the job expecting to only be able to depend on a key players of players, he now feels the selection he can call upon has swelled. This is not only through the rise of youngsters such as Nestory Irankunda, Max Balard, or Mohamed Touré as genuine international players. There are also the cases of Miloš Degenek’s return from the obscurity and Paul Izzo’s growth into a bona fide Socceroos keeper with the potential to challenge Maty Ryan.

“The squad has entirely changed in my mind – of what’s attainable with players that have joined,” Popovic says. “I first thought, ‘OK, this is my group; I don’t truly have much beyond this. Just get by and make them better.’ Now, I feel like there are 15, 20 players that have come into that, and I’m certain there are additional ones to come that I feel can help make us better as a squad at the World Cup.”

This unexpected appearance of talent, and the transformation in thinking it has sparked in Popovic, has opened the door for players on the periphery of the squad. Even those not yet regarded amongst those circle can remain optimistic that, by 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 – keeps to perform steadily, then the coach is making clear they’re in with a shot of being part of his plans.

“I don’t want to put a cap or a stop on that – to reveal 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 opportunity. Why can’t there be one more player that comes in in June?”

But this broadening, in a way, brings us back to Popovic’s initial talk as Socceroos head coach. For just as much as he wants players to impress him, to do something special and rise above the hopes 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 participants at the World Cup, and let’s go home and congratulate ourselves for being there’.

“I emphasize 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 observing and applauding something exceptional from the Socceroos? Why should we have limits? Why not do it now?”