Tony Popovic
Maybe it’s the pelting rain. Or the howling gale and the muddy training pitches in the distance through the misted windows.

As Tony Popovic eases his lean, 194cm frame down at the corner table of the sparse lounge overlooking Sydney FC’s Macquarie University training base, thoughts of harsh English winters flood back.

“Yeah, I miss it,” he says thinking for a moment before breaking out into a smile. “I miss the atmosphere and playing. I probably miss everything that comes with playing football over there.

“There’s always a real buzz in front of those vocal fans… they are real passionate about football. They do live for it. I miss the intensity, the high pressure. That is enjoyable. I thrive on that and it probably brought the best out of me.”

Popovic played 123 times for Crystal Palace over five seasons, a stint that included rising to become the Eagles’ captain and playing for the London club in the English Premier League.

The 34-year-old’s chiselled, yet grizzled, facial features betray his Croatian heritage and the hard years toughing it out in at Crystal Palace. Yet despite his affable demeanour and easy smile, the guy known as “Poppa” has some blunt, fatherly advice for Sydney FC’s youngsters chowing down at tables nearby after a tough session under new coach John Kosmina.

“If a lot of these young boys went over to Europe now, they’d get a rude shock. They’d still be miles behind – not so much for their ability but about the whole package of being a professional in Europe,” he explains before adding slowly, “You have to be ‘on’ every single match. A bad training session and you could be out.

“It’s ruthless over there – everyone wants your spot. You’re an outsider coming from Australia and you’re coming to take an Englishman’s spot. So, he’s not just going to give it to you, is he? You’ve got to go through your settling in period and you may not be spoken to, much. You’ve got to get beyond that.

“And also over there you play 40 to 50 matches a season. While here, what is it, 21 rounds and the finals, then you have four, five months off? By this stage of the season in Europe, I would’ve played 21 matches already.”

Popovic’s reality check is what another seasoned pro – Sunderland’s Dwight Yorke – was keen to stress during his stint in A-League football at the same club.

“I’d probably agree with Dwight that it is something they probably don’t realise here,” Popovic notes.

“Over there, a young player probably trains six, seven times longer and harder than a young player does here. And a lot of that initiative is taken on himself. Because they [the Aussie youngsters] haven’t been brought up in a professional environment, it’s hard for them to see this.

“However, once you prove on the field you’re worthy of your spot, it becomes much easier. Once you can handle that – as we’ve seen with some of the Aussies – they’ve gone on to do very well. That’s why us returning Socceroos need to educate and guide them,” adds Popovic glancing at FC’s fringe youth players. “I’ve always been a leader wherever I’ve played, I enjoy that role. If a young player asks me to try to help him, I’ll do it.”

It’s no surprise, then, that Popovic says it’s been a challenge making the transition to being a Sydney FC player.

“When you come back and you see things around the organisation around training, it’s…” he pauses, “…very different to what you’ve been used to.

“I’m not saying it’s not good – and it’s improving daily here – but compared to the level I’ve seen in Europe there is still a big gap. Such a gap that any Australian young player that went there right now would find it difficult because of the intensity.

“Look, your mental approach has to change. You probably have to accept things that you probably weren’t used to before,” he adds. “You still set yourself high standards but it’s tough to adjust.”

Despite his cautionary words, Popovic is encouraged by an A-League he feels is heading in the right direction, starting with the media.

“I noticed it after the first match against Central Coast in round one, there was about 30 to 40 media after the game at the press conference,” he says. “I’d never imagined that would be possible while I was still playing the game. It’s been a nice change. And it’s refreshing to see the crowds all across the league.

“Obviously, here players have improved technically and physically since the A-League began which enables them to put more quality into the training sessions. So it is an improvement, but it’s still way off Europe.”

Popovic’s view of his fellow A-League Socceroo returnees is measured, saying they’ve all needed time to adjust just as he has. “In general the boys have done well and have settled in well: [Craig] Moore, [Danny] Tiatto and of course Kevin Muscat, who’s been here from the start. I think that once you get into the groove of it in the first month or two, you see what the games are about.”

Interestingly, however, Popovic makes the judgment that Sydney United – his former NSL club which he left a decade ago to pursue his overseas career – would beat Sydney FC if they enjoyed all the benefits of being a professional club like his current employer.

What makes Tony Popovic a particularly interesting “Returning ’Roo” is that he also spent six seasons playing football in Asia. After more than 150 appearances at the credentialed football factory of Sydney United in the NSL, his European stepping stone was the up-and-coming J.League side Sanfrecce Hiroshima.

“Their facilities were better than most clubs in Europe but it was a mixed bag for me due to injuries. [Former Socceroo coach] Eddie Thomson was the coach at the time. I was fortunate that the club saw enough of me as a person and player to offer me another two years on my contract. In the end we made a couple of cup finals. I look back on it fondly but it was a stepping stone for my European career.”

After gaining enough Socceroo caps – and experiencing a different kind of football lifestyle over 87 appearances in Japan – Popovic was able to launch himself into English football.

At national team level, he really only cemented himself with the Socceroos during the last World Cup qualifying campaign. And all those years toughing it out came to the fore when his country needed it the most – the last 20 minutes in Montevideo, in November 2005. Alongside Tony Vidmar and Lucas Neill, Popovic and the Socceroo defence fended off a ferocious Uruguayan onslaught to hold Los Celeste to an advantage of just one goal.

The Uruguayans knew they needed that second goal and pounded Hiddink’s men with everything they had. But Poppa and co stood firm like heroes in a war movie, with Popovic’s last ditch block on a Uruguayan forward in the final, frantic few minutes proving to be a heart-breaker for the home side.

Coincidentally, just prior to signing with Sydney FC, Popovic played one season in the Qatar league with Al-Arabi. Then-Uruguayan coach Jorge Forsatti was also coaching in the tiny gulf country at the time and the pair would often run into each other.

“He’s a very nice man. I met him and his family there and we spoke about those two World Cup qualifiers. He was very nice about it and he did remember me!”

In the Green and Gold, there were other glorious moments too. His 1995 full debut against Colombia, his headed goal against Beckham’s England in London in 2003 – “I wore my Aussie shirt to training for a week after that” – and, of course, the World Cup 2006 appearances in Germany.

Popovic said adieu to his 58-cap career four months later in Brisbane against Paraguay in a friendly. And he scored with a trademark header to bring the house down with just minutes to go, although one of Popovic’s successors, Michael Beauchamp, spoiled the party by gifting the Paraguayans a late equaliser with an own goal. For a player born on the 4th of July, Poppa certainly went out with a bang.

Mentoring has been a key element in Popovic’s rise from NSL to J.League and the Premier League.

“I came through at Sydney Croatia [United] when I was 16 and had the likes of Graham Arnold, Alan Hunter, Mark Jones [current assistant coach at the Jets], Ivan Petkovic and Manis Lamond helping me on and off the park.

“And [Alex] Tobin and [Milan] Ivanovic in the national team. They took me under their wing. I was very fortunate to come through at that time, with Eddie Thomson who blooded me as a 21-year-old as well as bringing me in as the youngest player in that Olyroo team of 1992 as a 19-year-old.

“I just feel it’s my duty to help these boys… to encourage them and show them, if they want to make it, the hard work they really have to do.”

Well, they should make use of him while they can, with the Sydneysider leaving the door open for a return to Europe – and even Crystal Palace – in a potential coaching capacity.

“Possibly,” he says when quizzed. “I gave the club everything I had and in return they were great for me. I got on well with the fans. I think they saw a player who went out each time and gave his best every week.

“They knew what they were getting from me and I became captain of the club, which was a great honour, particularly as I was an Australian. I’ll always remember my time there, and maybe one day I’ll go back. Hopefully I can get back to Europe in some capacity. If it was Crystal Palace, it’d be great.”

Who said the returning Socceroos were all home for good?