“Coaching the Socceroos is a Dream Come True” - Popovic

Six days ago, Graham Arnold resigned as coach of Australia’s national men’s team, the Socceroos.

The man chosen to replace Arnold is Tony Popovic. Popovic won the 2021 Australian Cup at Melbourne Victory, the 2018-19 A-League premiership at Perth Glory, and the 2014 AFC Champions League at the Western Sydney Wanderers.

Popovic’s contract is active until the end of the current World Cup campaign, although both parties do have the option to extend.

After a perfect six wins from six games to start qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, it looked like business as usual for the Socceroos and for Arnold.

However, Australia’s shockingly poor start to qualifying in Round 3 means the land down under might not make it to the world stage in the USA.

Australia (after a loss to Bahrain and a draw to Indonesia) now sit fifth. In a group with Japan and Saudi Arabia, who Australia have to play twice, automatic qualification may have already slipped away. The Socceroos, as they have so often done before, may have to go the long way.

“This campaign hasn’t started the best, but I know there’s enough time, there are enough games, we should really be aiming for top spot,” Popovic said on the 2026 campaign.

For those that don’t manage football, club management and international management may look as though they are one and the same. However, ask anyone in the know, and it’s very different;

“I understand what the role entails, and I understand that comes with the territory of having this position,” Tony Popovic began.

“You don’t have time to train the players, you don’t have time to really instil a type of style or philosophy over training sessions.

“[However], you do have time in terms of the communication you have with the players.

“The video analysis detail becomes very important. The one or two sessions that you have, you can’t waste any time.

'“It’s a big challenge. This is obviously the ultimate challenge, and I’m excited by it. I just can’t wait to get started."

Popovic opened up about why he took the job, and his answer couldn’t have been easier to understand.

“I’m ready.

“Three years ago, two years ago, I wouldn’t have looked at this role,” Popovic said.

“I [have more] experience [and] maturity. I’ve had experiences at different clubs. [I’ve gone] through adversity.

“I want this job, so I’m here.”

The Socceroos are a sporting identity which tie deeply with this country, and Popovic summed it up in his own words;

“I played for the Socceroos, it was a privilege. We wore that shirt with integrity and we wore it as a privilege, as a badge of honour.

“I want the players to understand that no one is entitled to that shirt. Regardless of talent, regardless of age, we need to be honoured to be wearing that shirt and to be called up to the Socceroos.”

Popovic also added his thoughts about how he could freshen the team up.

“We can move the ball quicker,” Popovic said.

“We can get more players in the box. These are things that they were already doing, which brought success.

“The last two games, there wasn’t a lot of evidence of that and I’m sure we can get that back and do it even better moving forward.

“It’s not so much what we do different. I think what we will do is make sure that what we do, we do it very well.

“We will do it with energy, we will do it with desire and we do it with a speed and dynamic play that I think the players will enjoy.“

Popovic’s first game will see the Socceroos come to Adelaide on the 10th of October. The game is against the People's Republic of China at the Adelaide Oval, kickoff set for 7:40pm.

It is simply a must win game if Australia hold any hope of advancing directly from Round 3 into the 2026 World Cup. The pressure for Tony and his players will be turned up to the max.