Pocognoli Sees Balanced Squad as He Begins Tenure with Scotland

Sebastien Pocognoli, the newly appointed manager of the Scotland national football team, told Sky Sports that the time had come for a fresh direction and that he believes his inaugural selection offers a "good mix" of talent and experience. The Belgian coach is meeting his players for the first time this week at a training camp in the sunny coastal town of La Manga, a preparation period that leads up to Scotland's opening Nations League fixture against Slovenia. In his initial roster, Pocognoli handed five newcomers their first full international caps for Scotland. Among them is Blackburn Rovers midfielder Kristi Montgomery, who was called up after the withdrawals of established internationals Kieran Tierney and Kenny McLean.

The extended international break, which includes four Nations League matches, provides the new manager with a valuable window to work closely with the squad and begin imprinting his ideas as the successor to 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. He stressed the importance of maintaining the delicate balance that has traditionally characterised the Scottish side.

"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 added. Pocognoli argued that the timing of the change was appropriate, noting that the national set‑up must evolve in line with the modern game. "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. He highlighted that a player's club performance, injury status and overall form are critical factors in selection decisions.

"It's also performance in your club, injury, and at the same time you need to make the change," he remarked. He praised the foundations laid by his predecessors, stating that they provide a solid platform for future progress.

"What was provided in the past is massive to use it for the future. It's to find the right balance, like I said, 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," Pocognoli explained. The manager also emphasized the cultural side of Scottish football.

"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, underscoring the collective spirit that he expects to see on the field. The Pocognoli era will officially commence in Ljubljana on Saturday, when Scotland face Slovenia.

Three days later the team will host Switzerland at Hampden Park. After that, the squad travels to North Macedonia for a match on October 3 before returning to Glasgow for a second encounter with Slovenia on October 6. Scotland were relegated from Nations League A after a play‑off loss to Greece last year and will be looking to climb back to the top tier. At 39, the Belgian manager is aware of the multiple pathways to success.

"There are many ways to be successful," he said. "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 with the result, and that's why we do this job, I would be really happy." Below is the full squad list announced by Pocognoli: Goalkeepers: Scott Bain (Falkirk), Angus Gunn (San Jose Earthquakes), Liam Kelly (Rangers), Jon McCracken (Bradford City) Defenders: Luis Binks (Brondby), 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 schedule for Scotland's Nations League campaign is as follows: - Slovenia vs Scotland – 26 September, kick‑off 14:00 - Scotland vs Switzerland – 29 September, kick‑off 19:45 - North Macedonia vs Scotland – 3 October, kick‑off 19:45 - Scotland vs Slovenia – 6 October, kick‑off 19:45 - Scotland vs North Macedonia – 13 November, kick‑off 19:45 - Switzerland vs Scotland – 16 November, kick‑off 19:45 Pocognoli's vision for the team blends seasoned veterans with promising youngsters, aiming to preserve the traditional Scottish grit while introducing tactical flexibility and modern attacking ideas. By fostering unity, clear roles, and a shared ambition, he hopes to reignite the passion of the Scottish fan base and guide the nation back to the upper echelons of European football.