Socceroos coach Tony Popovic says squad understands his methods better after helter-skelter start

Socceroos coach Tony Popovic believes his principles have been more thoroughly embedded in the team since his first games in charge as his side prepare for the first of two seismic World Cup qualifiers.

Australia face Indonesia at Allianz Stadium on Thursday night, nursing a one-point lead over their opponents and three other teams in the race for the second of two automatic qualification berths for next year’s FIFA World Cup.

A win would hold the Socceroos in good stead for their away match against China on Tuesday — but anything else would further throw their World Cup hopes into disarray, another curve ball in a campaign that has already seen them change coaches.

Popovic, the former Perth Glory, Western Sydney Wanderers and Melbourne Victory coach, has reached his third international window in charge following Graham Arnold’s shock departure in September.

Having been thrust into the furnace with four matches in the space of just over a month starting just weeks after his appointment, Popovic said the squad now knew his methods and tactical approach better.

“It all happened in a couple of days before the (first) game against China, and then November was soon after, only three weeks, and you’re consolidating a little bit of the work that you try to instil,” he said.

“Now, we feel there’s a better understanding of the foundation, the template of what we want to put into place and the players have come in and the coaches have done a great job in helping the players understand their roles, giving them a lot of feedback.”

With four games left in their World Cup qualifying campaign, Popovic knows the Socceroos are in a precarious spot.

Automatic qualification is still the goal and still well within Australia’s hands and six points from this window’s two games is crucial ahead of blockbusters against Japan in Perth and Saudi Arabia away.

“We know the magnitude of the games and how important they are, but we also know we’re in a position that we can retain our second spot,” Popovic said.

Indonesia present something of an unknown quantity despite having secured a 0-0 draw against Australia in Jakarta in Arnold’s last match in charge.

They brought in Dutch great Patrick Kluivert as coach and have increasingly filled their team with players of Dutch heritage.

Kluivert’s first game in charge will be against the Socceroos on Thursday and Popovic admitted it did make their opponents a bit trickier to assess.

“We don’t know how he’ll set up. We’ve seen what he’s done previously at the various jobs that he’s been involved in, in terms of the structure and the shape that he plays,” Popovic said.

“But we have to focus on us and I know that we can deal with any structure that comes our way.

“We’re confident to deal with that, confident to play the football we want to.”