‘Room for Improvement’: Popovic Calls for Enhancement as Australia Prepares for World Cup Challenge

Tony Popovic doesn’t shy away from admitting that his Australian squad can be difficult to watch at times. However, the former centre back has succeeded in his mission, bringing the team to the verge of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.

The Socceroos struggled against a weakened Japan side in Perth on Thursday, yet thanks to Aziz Behich’s late goal, they now need only to avoid a 5-0 defeat against Saudi Arabia in Jeddah on Tuesday to secure their place.

“It was an incredibly special evening,” Popovic shared with reporters. “The surge of emotions when we scored, and particularly after the final whistle, are moments I will cherish forever.“

“Every player has contributed to reaching this milestone, and now we’re looking ahead to Saudi Arabia to see this through.“

Saudi Arabia holds a special significance for Popovic, as it was the venue of his most notable achievement as a club coach in 2014. His team, the Western Sydney Wanderers, managed a 0-0 draw against the formidable Al Hilal in Riyadh, clinching the Asian title just two years after the club’s inception.

This continental success partly motivated Football Australia to appoint Popovic as coach last September, following Graham Arnold’s resignation amid a rocky path to World Cup qualification.

While the football hasn’t always been aesthetically pleasing, the Socceroos remain unbeaten since he took charge, registering four victories and three draws, conceding only five goals while netting 14 over the seven matches.

Popovic acknowledged there’s significant room for growth, but noted that the moments leading up to Behich’s goal illustrated a strong foundation of resilience to build upon.

“We understand we need to enhance our game, and we will, but in that pivotal moment, the 90th minute, we had six players in the box, all pushing to score,” he explained.

“We displayed toughness, maintained a clean sheet, and achieved something that many Australian teams have found challenging.“

Before Thursday night, Australia hadn’t bested Asian giants Japan in ten encounters since 2009, and Popovic emphasised the significance of this accomplishment.

“As I take on this role, I realise why defeating Japan is a tough task,” he remarked. “They are the benchmark, and we aspire to match that level; we shouldn’t shy away from this challenge. Today should serve as a significant step forward in knowing we can overcome Japan.“

Despite the heart-stopping end to the match, Popovic assured there would be no room for complacency ahead of Tuesday’s showdown at King Abdullah Sports City.

“It has been an incredibly intense period since I took over, but everyone has embraced our objectives. We are now very close to achieving our goal,” he said.

“We need to focus in Saudi Arabia. We’re in a promising position, but we must see it through to the end.“