"It's what we need" -- Hrustic embraces Popovic's elite demands

With his laser-like focus and demands for elite standards from his playing group, Ajdin Hrustic is relishing his early experiences under new coach Tony Popovic, believing his approach is exactly what the Socceroos need.

Dogged by injury and challenges at club level, Hrustic, 28, made his first appearance for Australia since June and just his fifth in the last two years when he came off the bench in a 3-1 World Cup qualifying win over China in Adelaide last Thursday, fresh off securing a move to Serie B side Saliaternia after being cast out at Hellas Verona. 

The attacker wasn’t part of the squad that lost to Bahrain and drew with Indonesia during the last window, results which spurred Graham Arnold’s resignation and the subsequent arrival of Popovic. And he’s found the new environment suits him. 

“Me, personally, I'm enjoying it,” he said. “I'm enjoying every training session that we've had so far. There hasn't been much, but you see an idea behind every drill we do, even if it's just a warm-up or a passing drill, there's an idea behind it. 

“These ideas get bought into the game. Jacko's pass into the pocket [before Goodwin's goal to make it 2-1 against China], it's just small stuff like this that you think in training is just a warm-up. But it's not. It's a passing drill that's got a reason behind it.”

One of the recurring motifs from Popovic and the players that have travelled to Tokyo has been the new coach’s demands to be elite, not just when they get into camp but, if they want to keep receiving that invite, when they go back to their clubs. 

Given the relatively short time that the coach has had with his new group, as well as the rapid turnaround for next month’s World Cup qualifiers against Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, it’s unlikely we’ll glean a definitive insight into how these demands might manifest in matters of starting XIs and squad selection until next March, when qualifiers will resume after a four-month break and Popovic has more of a sample size. 

But already, the message is being heard, and celebrated, by Hrustic. 

“It's what you eat, how you sleep, how you recover, how you perform, how you train,” he said. “Every detail that you can think about in football is, for him, [needs to be] elite. That's why I think he's special because he pushes us to the limit. 

“Since day one, he's made it clear what he wants. It's very important in the situation that we're in. You haven't got much time and he's come in with with the right attitude. And I think it's what suits us.

“I think it's what we need as a team, but also as a country. 

“It's clear. The elite, just the word elite is what makes a player become a professional football player. I started very young. I used to look up to players and they had the elite mindset. 

“And when [Popovic] came in, when he said elite, it triggered me because it's something that I've used for my career. Because you're, you're going to have ups and downs everywhere you go and you've just got to keep going and going and going. And at some point, it pays off.”

Widely recognised for his ability, both in and out of possession, to facilitate the Socceroos in attack, Hrusitc also carries the distinction of being the only player in the 26-strong squad taken to Tokyo to have actually scored against the Samurai Blue: netting a free kick in their 2-1 loss in Saitama in 2021. 

He isn’t sure if he’s going to start in Tuesday’s fixture or not but in the Socceroos’ new 3-4-2-1 system, where he’ll likely find himself higher up the pitch in central areas, he’s chomping at the bit for the opportunity, and knows the importance of taking any chances that may fall his way if they come. 

“The higher up you play, the fewer chances you get [to impact the game],” he said. “You might only get one in a game, and you need to take it. One might be half a chance and from that half chance, I think need to take advantage of it. I don't know what to expect at this moment but I know for sure that we're going to pull up our sleeves and give everything we've got for the badge and for ourselves.

“You have ups and downs in football but also in your personal life, a lot of the stuff people don't see from the outside. But my job is to pull on the green and gold shirt and perform. When the the time comes, I try to forget everything and enjoy myself on the park. 

“I use the football pitch as a place to enjoy myself and to remind myself how hard it was to get here; so hard work does pay off in the end.”