Sebastien Pocognoli is the new Scotland men's head coach after seven years of Steve Clarke - but what awaits the Belgian and what will be expected of him? A title winner in his homeland while managing Union Saint-Gilloise, the 39-year-old brings a reputation for playing eye-catching football. However, the former left-back was sacked as Monaco boss in June after just eight months, making him available to the Scottish FA.
Following Clarke's record-breaking spell, the demands on Pocognoli will be to deliver the same results as his predecessor, or better, while shifting the playing style and refreshing the squad. Belgian Pocognoli confirmed as Scotland boss Why new Scotland head coach has tricky task The Scotland job in 2026 looks a lot different from the one Clarke took on in 2019. Two months prior to Clarke's appointment, the national team had been humiliated in Kazakhstan.
They had not featured at a major finals in two decades. Seven years on, Scotland have been at back-to-back European Championships and a World Cup. Clarke qualified for three of four tournaments on his watch.
Pocognoli will be expected to, at least, maintain that success. However, the reason Clarke's exit felt natural for many is that a hefty chunk of fans want to see a change of approach. Craig Mulholland, the Scottish FA's chief football officer, said Pocognoli "will bring an aggressive, front-foot style of play that will excite supporters", adding that Scotland are aiming to "evolve from a position of strength".
The Belgian has described his brand of football as "a dominant one, with and without the ball". He also wants his team to be intense pressers but have "real mastery in possession". International coaches are not afforded the same amount of time on the training pitch as club managers, so patience could be required if the plan is to move to a more possession-based style.
Pocognoli's prior experience of working as a youth coach at international level with Belgium would have ticked another box for the SFA. He also coached in the academies of USG and Genk. During his playing career, he featured at almost every youth level for his nation before winning 13 caps for a Belgium side that featured a long list of world-class talents for well over a decade.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
