SYDNEY: Former Crystal Palace defender Tony Popovic insisted Monday there was plenty of time to rescue Australia’s faltering World Cup qualifying campaign after he was appointed the Socceroos’ new coach. The 51-year-old takes over from Graham Arnold who quit on Friday after overseeing a shock 1-0 home defeat to Bahrain, and then a scoreless draw with Indonesia. The losses left Australia’s World Cup qualification hanging in the balance, with a must-win home game against winless China on October 10 before a tough away clash in Japan.

They need to finish in the top two of their six-team group to guarantee their spot at the 2026 World Cup in North America or potentially face another round of qualifying. “This campaign hasn’t started the best, but I know there’s enough time, there’s enough games,” Popovic said after signing a two-year deal.

“You know, we should be aiming for top spot to go through automatically.” Australia have qualified for the last five World Cups, making the round of 16 at Qatar in 2022. They were on fire earlier this year in the second stage of Asian qualifying with six straight victories without conceding a goal. But they were a shadow of their former selves against Bahrain and Indonesia. Popovic, who has been out of work since leaving Melbourne Victory following their A-League grand final loss in May, said “that’s football”.

“Results can sometimes mask when something is good ... look at the history of what’s been done, a group of players that did remarkable things over there (in Qatar),” he said. “I understand the responsibility that’s required and the expectation of everyone.” Football Australia chief James Johnson called Popovic “the best possible candidate”.

“Tony’s proven leadership and strategic football acumen combined with his deep understanding of Australian football, our players, and what it means to be a Socceroo, makes him the ideal choice to lead our national team moving forward,” he said. “His international experience, particularly across Asia, both as a player and a coach, further strengthens his ability to navigate the global football landscape and drive success for Australia on the world stage.” 

Popovic won 58 caps for the Socceroos and enjoyed a successful playing career with Sydney United, Sanfrecce Hiroshima in Japan and Crystal Palace, where he became a bedrock of the defence and was captain.

As a coach, he guided Western Sydney Wanderers to the Asian Champions League title in 2014 and won the A-League premiership with Perth Glory. He also had short stints with Turkish club Karabukspor and Greek side Xanthi.

Several other candidates were reportedly in the running, including Portuguese journeyman Carlos Queiroz and Nick Montgomery, who is an assistant to Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham Hotspur. Arnold, who had coached the team since August 2018, took the Socceroos to the last 16 of the Qatar World Cup in 2022, equalling their best-ever showing. – AFP