Sebastien Pocognoli, the newly appointed manager of the Scotland national team, told Sky Sports that a fresh approach was overdue and that his inaugural selection already offers a "good mix" of talent. The Belgian coach is meeting his players for the first time this week, training under the warm La Manga sun in preparation for Scotland’s Nations League opener against Slovenia.
His initial roster includes five newcomers receiving their first full caps for Scotland. Among them, Blackburn Rovers midfielder Kristi Montgomery was added after the withdrawals of Kieran Tierney and Kenny McLean, underscoring Pocognoli’s willingness to blend experience with fresh faces. The extended international break, which features four Nations League fixtures, provides the new manager with a valuable window to embed his ideas and assess the squad as he steps into the shoes of Steve Clarke. "We have plenty of experience in the team, there are some new faces and young lads, and I think we have a good mix," Pocognoli explained to Sky Sports News.
"We need to make sure that the balance stays right, and to keep what makes the Scotland team really strong, it was the cohesion and really proper DNA in the team, and this needs to stay." He emphasized that the timing of the change was crucial. "The needed change was at this moment, because we follow the timelines, and the change is just about the things that we want to create on the pitch," he said. Pocognoli highlighted that club performance, injury status, and overall form must all inform selection decisions.
"What was provided in the past is massive to use it for the future. It's about finding the right balance, so the experienced players will be important to continue to take care of this, and on the coaching staff point of view, we need to be aligned about what we want to achieve together," he added.
The new boss wants a side that operates as a single unit. "I want to see a team who are just really together, it's quite basic, attack together, defend together, but that's part of the Scotland mentality," he said, reinforcing the traditional Scottish emphasis on collective effort and resilience. Pocognoli’s era officially kicks off in Ljubljana on Saturday when Scotland face Slovenia, followed by a home clash with Switzerland at Hampden Park three days later. The schedule then takes the squad to North Macedonia on 3 October before returning to Glasgow for a second meeting with Slovenia on 6 October.
Scotland were relegated from Nations League A after a play‑off loss to Greece last year, meaning they will be competing in League B for this campaign. The 39‑year‑old manager outlined his broader ambitions: "There are many ways to be successful.
For me, in the Nations League, it's to stay competitive and try to be as much as possible higher in the ranking to go to League A. But just to recognise some principles on the pitch, recognise who are the leaders on the pitch, see some young lads playing, see team cohesion on the pitch. Also, to get the supporters excited. If we can combine that with the result, and that's why we do this job, I would be really happy." Below is the full squad list Pocognoli has selected for the opening stretch of the Nations League: Goalkeepers: Scott Bain (Falkirk), Angus Gunn (San Jose Earthquakes), Liam Kelly (Rangers), Jon McCracken (Bradford City) Defenders: Luis Binks (Brøndby), Josh Doig (Sassuolo), Colby Donovan (Celtic), Luke Graham (Stoke City), Jack Hendry (Al‑Ettifaq), Aaron Hickey (Brentford), Scott McKenna (Dinamo Zagreb), Nathan Patterson (Torino), Andy Robertson (Tottenham), Stephen Welsh (Swansea City) Midfielders: Ryan Christie (Bournemouth), Lewis Ferguson (Bologna), Billy Gilmour (Napoli), John McGinn (Aston Villa), Josh McPake (Hearts), Lennon Miller (Udinese), Kristi Montgomery (Blackburn Rovers) Forwards: Kieron Bowie (Sassuolo), Findlay Curtis (Rangers), Ben Gannon‑Doak (Bournemouth), Oli McBurnie (Hull City), Robbie Ure (Sevilla), James Wilson (Hearts) The upcoming fixtures are slated as follows: - Slovenia vs Scotland – 26 September, kickoff 14:00 - Scotland vs Switzerland – 29 September, kickoff 19:45 - North Macedonia vs Scotland – 3 October, kickoff 19:45 - Scotland vs Slovenia – 6 October, kickoff 19:45 - Scotland vs North Macedonia – 13 November, kickoff 19:45 - Switzerland vs Scotland – 16 November, kickoff 19:45 Pocognoli’s challenge will be to blend the seasoned campaigners with the fresh talent while preserving the unity that has long defined Scottish football.
If he can achieve that balance, keep the team cohesive, and deliver results that reignite the passion of the supporters, his tenure could mark a new, competitive chapter for Scotland in the Nations League and beyond.