Scotland head coach Sebastien Pocognoli has made it clear that his squad requires a tidy-up rather than radical alterations as they gear up for their concluding Nations League double-header against North Macedonia and Switzerland. Having secured one victory from his first four games in charge following Steve Clarke's shock summer departure, the 39-year-old Belgian tactician remains committed to stability. To strengthen his options for the decisive fixtures, Pocognoli has brought back Napoli's Scott McTominay, Torino striker Che Adams, and Celtic defender Kieran Tierney, while also rewarding 27-year-old Rangers left-back James Penrice with his first senior international call-up.
Pocognoli's tenure opened with promising away performances, producing a dominant draw in Slovenia and a 2-0 triumph in North Macedonia. That initial optimism wavered during back-to-back home outings at Hampden. A 3-0 loss to 12th-ranked Switzerland was largely written off due to Jack Hendry's early red card, but a subsequent defeat to a Slovenia side positioned nine places below Scotland in the FIFA rankings prompted concern. Following that loss in front of a two-thirds-full stadium, captain Andy Robertson acknowledged that the team had been "outfought" and was simply "not good enough."
Despite the scrutiny, Pocognoli insists the foundation from his maiden camp is sound. "There's no reason to change everything because I was happy with the camp. The main word is continuity," the manager noted, underlining that the returning core will inject vital experience. Pocognoli explained that Penrice's call-up was a logical choice given injuries on the left flank and his recent displays while on loan at Rangers from AEK Athens. Conversely, 20-year-old Udinese midfielder Lennon Miller was omitted from the senior squad, with Pocognoli offering him Under-21 game time to assess him in an advanced midfield role rather than the number six position he occupies for his Italian club.
Significant stakes await Scotland, who currently sit third in Nations League Group B1. The national side must claim a minimum of four points this month to stand any chance of finishing second and reaching the promotion play-offs, while a single point will protect them from relegation. Beyond these immediate fixtures, Pocognoli is focused on what he terms "the big job": qualification for Euro 2028, which Scotland are co-hosting alongside England, Wales, and the Republic of Ireland. With the qualifying draw scheduled for 6 December in Belfast ahead of the March kickoff, Pocognoli is using this critical window to fully understand his players and restore momentum.