Belgium's Pocognoli appointed new Scotland manager

Sebastien Pocognoli is the new manager of the Scotland national team (FRANCK FIFE) Former Monaco coach Sebastien Pocognoli was named as the new manager of the Scotland national team on Sunday, replacing Steve Clarke who stood down following the World Cup. The Scottish Football Association said the 39-year-old Belgian had signed an initial two-year contract and would lead Scotland into the forthcoming UEFA Nations League campaign. Pocognoli takes over from Clarke, who resigned after Scotland's group-stage elimination from the World Cup in June. Pocognoli, a former Belgium international, led Union Saint-Gilloise to the 2024/25 Belgian title in his first season as a head coach. "When I first heard of the interest, I was immediately excited about the opportunity," he told the SFA website. "Scotland's supporters are famous for their passion –- most recently at the World Cup in the USA –- and I have experienced it myself as a player for Belgium when we played in 2013. "Along with my coaching staff, I will do everything I can to give them a team to be proud of and build on the success that has been achieved already by my predecessor." Pocognoli is the second foreign coach to manage Scotland, after Germany's Berti Vogts from 2002-04. - 'Standout candidate' - The former West Brom and Brighton left-back will now aim to build on Clarke's record of leading Scotland to their first three major tournaments of this century. "Since negotiations began, I have been doing a lot of research, asking a lot of questions and looking at areas that we can build on," said Pocognoli. "I am hugely excited by the prospect and look forward to working with the players to achieve even more success." After leading Union SG to their first Belgian title in 90 years, Pocognoli joined Monaco in October last year. He took them into the Champions League knockout phase, where they lost narrowly to eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain. But he was sacked in June following a seventh-placed finish in Ligue 1 that meant Monaco missed out on a place in this season's Champions League. "He was the standout candidate from a thorough process: a very impressive individual, with a real desire to take on the role and a clear vision for how he wants to go about it," said SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell. Pocognoli's reign as Scotland boss will begin with a Nations League opener away to Slovenia in Ljubljana on September 26. jdg/jc