“I thought it would be three campaigns of World Cup qualifying or matches that I’d miss out on but I worked really hard for a couple of weeks with Anthony Crea to give myself an opportunity to at least be fit. Fortunately for me the manager showed faith even though I had no match fitness to play in those games. It was a special moment to be selected and an even greater moment to qualify and to do it at home in Sydney was something special. That crowd is something that I’ll never, ever forget.”

Now playing in Qatar in the Middle East for Al-Arabi, the 33 year-old was tempted to come home to play in the Hyundai A-League but says his international adventure isn’t over just yet. With a career that has seen him playing from Sydney United to Crystal Palace in England, as well as five years in Japan for Sanfrecce Hirsoshima, Poppa is well-traveled (he even speaks fluent Japanese) and is probably the most qualified of all Australian players to speak about the complexities of playing away against Asian sides now that we are part of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). Having lost 2-0 against Kuwait recently, debate has raged about how the Socceroos should prepare for Asian opposition after only playing sides from Oceania for so long.

“For me it’s pretty simple really,” he warns The Socceroo. “If we don’t take it seriously, we won’t qualify. It’s as simple as that. Anyone who thinks it’s going to be easy coming through Asia to come away from home, playing qualifiers on a Wednesday night, in Asia in soaring heat with players coming from Europe… is crazy.

“It’s different conditions and it’s very difficult. The Kuwait game showed that. The conditions beat us. Kuwait’s not better than us. With a small amount of preparation it’s going to be difficult. If we think it’s going to be easy we’re in for a rude shock. We’ve got to be as well prepared as we possibly can be. You’re battling teams that are used to the conditions and that can play. Most of our squad will coming from five to ten degrees playing and training in Europe over eight or nine months and then they’ll get hit with 35 to 40 degrees in a World Cup qualifier.”

Of course, the memories of our successful World Cup qualifying campaign are just the start and Popovic has seen both the highs and lows with the Socceroos. But it was his most recent appearance for Australia that provided the best and worst moments during his time in Australian colours. “They both came at the World Cup actually! The best moment I’d say is to get picked to start against Brazil. To do that in the World Cup is a dream come true, but probably the worst was about 40 minutes later when I went off injured.

It just shows you how things can happen and change so quickly. It was probably a bad day for me that day and for a few hours afterwards. But when the dust settled the next morning I definitely felt more proud than down and disappointed. I thought about it, and on the injury side… I’d done everything I could to be as fit as I possibly could be and it was something unfortunate that happened. It was something I could do nothing about,” he says.