Sebastien Pocognoli, the newly appointed manager of the Scotland men's national football team, stated that the passionate nature of Scottish football was a significant factor in his decision to take the job. The 39-year-old manager was confirmed as the successor to Steve Clarke on Sunday and officially introduced to the media on Monday.
Pocognoli, who previously managed Union Saint-Gilloise to their first league title in 90 years in the 2024-25 season, left Monaco at the end of the last campaign. He becomes only the second foreign manager to lead the Scotland men's team, following German Berti Vogts.
"I'm very proud to be here," Pocognoli said at his introduction, alongside Scottish Football Association (SFA) chiefs Ian Maxwell and Craig Mulholland. "It's a very strong challenge, with a project to develop the future of Scottish football. There are the metrics, but the human aspect was also very important. I never go to a challenge where I can't feel the connection."
He expressed his belief that he can build upon the "strong foundation" left by his predecessor, Steve Clarke, whose seven-year tenure concluded earlier this summer after Scotland's exit from the World Cup group stage. Pocognoli indicated his intention to focus on developing the team's style of play and nurturing future talent. "Scotland is a passionate country and I think also, regarding the strong foundation that Steve Clarke and his staff laid, that I can use this heritage to put the next accent on the style of play while also developing players for the future. That's why I'm here."