Last week, Tony Popovic was named Graham Arnold’s replacement, as Socceroos’ head coach after Australia’s poor start to World Cup qualification.
In his appointment statement, Popovic said he was “extremely honoured” to take the new position.
However, after an extremely disappointing loss to Bahrain at home and a draw against Indonesia away, Australia now sit second last in their group, with their chances of direct qualification to the World Cup dwindling.
“I fully understand the weight of responsibility and the high expectations that come with this position,” Popovic said.
“Looking ahead, I have great faith and confidence in our ability to grow as a team. Together, we will work tirelessly to improve, evolve, and continue Australia's success on the international stage. I believe we have the talent and determination to make our nation proud."
As the club’s head coach, Popovic has endured a successful, albeit erratic, managerial career.
His tenure at the Western Sydney Wanderers stands out as his magnum opus. As a coach, he led the Wanderers to an A-League Premiership in the 2012/13 season and won the AFC Champions League in 2014, becoming the first Australian team to do so.
Popovic would again win the A-League Premiership in the 2018/19 season with the Perth Glory and managed a grand final appearance with Melbourne Victory last year, where he also won the Australia Cup in 2021.
However, his career has also been marred by failed campaigns in the Mediterranean. After nine games at Turkish club Karabükspor, Popovic was fired before the club was ultimately dissolved.
In Greece, Popovic was sacked by Xanthi FC after five months, with ownership issues clouding the club.
His appointment to the Socceroos will not be Popovic’s first time with the Australian national team, having represented the team 58 times as a player and at the 2006 World Cup.
Now, he will have to extract the most out of proven performers and upcoming stars, should Australia hope to qualify for 2026.
With an ageing squad that still relies on players such as Craig Goodwin, Matthew Ryan, Jackson Irvine and Harry Souttar as consistent starters, Popovic will be expected to integrate more young talent.
Cruelly, exciting Parma Calcio defender Alessandro Circati, one of the best performers across the Socceroos’ last two games, has suffered an ACL rupture and will be unavailable until he recovers.
However, many other Australian young talents are playing for top European clubs who could push to embed themselves in the squad.
Nestory Irankunda shines as Australia’s brightest future star, having already netted three goals from five matches for Bayern Munich’s reserve side.
In England, goalkeeper Joe Gauci recently made his debut for Aston Villa, while Cameron Peupion (Brighton & Hove Albion) and Garang Kuol (Newcastle United) have developed in strong academies.
Kuol in particular was a part of the 2022 World Cup squad and became the youngest ever Australian to do so, at just 18 years old.
In the A-League, the Central Coast Mariners’ young but experienced midfield duo Josh Nisbet and Max Balard enjoyed strong seasons last year and have since transferred to European clubs, Ross County and NAC Breda.
Similarly, 2023 transfers from Melbourne City, Marco Tilio and Jordan Bos have been a part of international tournaments for Australia and may present as potential consistent Socceroos in the future.
While one golden era of the Socceroos may be closing, Tony Popovic has the chance to lead a new one, with the depth of Australian talent growing excitingly quickly.
He will lead the Socceroos for the first time in the next international window against China on October 10th in Australia and Japan away on the 16th.
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