If time is the commodity most cherished by a manager, Sébastien Pocognoli’s decision to lead Scotland is no surprise. Host nation status for Euro 2028 means it will be exceptionally difficult for them not to qualify for the tournament. In the Nations League, starting on Saturday in Slovenia, Pocognoli can experiment without fear of serious consequence.
The 39-year-old has taken over a national team that represents a country which had not only – and partly unfairly – grown weary of Steve Clarke but screamed for a brave new dawn. The public wants what the public gets. They are unlikely to turn on Pocognoli, even if the start to his international management career proves bumpy.
The Belgian has cannily called up a batch of untried and young players for his opening set of fixtures. Not all will be cut out for international football – Clarke’s mainstays remain crucial – yet the head coach will gain kudos for giving opportunity. An improvement in talent identification, including sourcing more players who qualify for Scotland through family bloodlines, is now a priority.
Pocognoli’s salary, understood to be seven figures at base level, underlines the Scottish Football Association’s sense that they have sourced a difference maker from the out-of-work market. After a playing career spent mostly in his native Belgium. Pocognoli was central to a European football fairytale.
The Union Saint-Gilloise title win in 2025 was their first in nine decades. USG’s fortunes had been transformed after the involvement of Tony Bloom and his favoured analytics tool, Jamestown. While it would be unjust to dismiss the influence of Pocognoli, an underlying theme where Bloom’s secret sauce is prominent is that the overall system may be more relevant than the individual in the dugout.
Key decisions, including tactical style, at USG were made by the sporting director. Craig Mulholland has been appointed as the Scottish FA’s chief football officer with a role as varied as the title is vague. After background roles at Rangers and Nottingham Forest, Mulholland’s credentials for this post are questionable.
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