Scotland Boss Pocognoli Believes Advanced Role Will Elevate Billy Gilmour

Scotland head coach Sebastien Pocognoli believes an advanced midfield role will unlock the full attacking potential of Billy Gilmour, drawing comparisons to his former Belgium national team-mate Kevin De Bruyne.

Pocognoli, who was a teammate of De Bruyne during their time with the Belgian national team, stated he recognizes a talented midfielder when he sees one. He observed De Bruyne's emergence as a player who could control the tempo of a game while also providing an attacking and creative outlet. Pocognoli envisions Gilmour fulfilling a similar function in the new-look Scotland team.

Following Scotland's 0-0 draw against Slovenia, Pocognoli singled out Gilmour for his performance in the second half, where the midfielder influenced the game higher up the pitch and created several chances. This tactical adjustment allowed Gilmour to operate more offensively, a departure from past instances where his usage under previous management was questioned, even when fit.

"I see him there (higher up the pitch)," Pocognoli said when asked about Gilmour's optimal position. "If you see the goal he scored for Napoli last week, it shows his ability to do this. He needs to be there higher up the pitch because he can also make assists from there as well."

Pocognoli suggested that while Lewis Ferguson might have a more defensive mindset, Gilmour's strengths lie in offensive play. He noted that Gilmour could still play a deeper role in certain home games, but his preference is to utilize him in a more advanced capacity to maximize his danger to opponents.

"If he is lower in the pitch, he will be less dangerous," Pocognoli explained. "I think that Lewis (Ferguson) is more with a defensive mindset and Billy more offensive. That doesn’t mean that Billy cannot play as a six in some games at home. But I see him more in the offensive area than defensive."

Pocognoli has a history of observing Gilmour's talent, having been a coach with Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium during Gilmour's time at Brighton & Hove Albion. The clubs share an affiliation through Tony Bloom's Jamestown Analytics, which provided Pocognoli with insight into Gilmour's abilities long before his arrival at the national team.

"I want to see this level from him again — and I think we can produce a style of play to help him," Pocognoli stated. "If these type of players can be happy after a game, it usually means that we had a good game and played well. He had a good second half on Saturday and I really enjoyed it."

Pocognoli emphasized the importance of Gilmour enjoying his football and playing with a smile. He recalled Gilmour's positive impact at Brighton and expressed a desire to see that same form for Scotland. Despite acknowledging that Gilmour might make mistakes and play inaccurate passes, Pocognoli stressed that these risks are necessary for him to showcase his qualities.

"My comment to him was to bring this on the pitch because we don’t have a lot of players like this. Even Switzerland don’t," Pocognoli added. "I need to make sure that he finds his smile on the pitch and he was smiling after the game. I see the Billy from Brighton in Slovenia."

The draw with Slovenia, where Scotland dominated but failed to score, highlighted the need for offensive innovation. Pocognoli's approach aims to change the team's style of play, moving away from the cautious tactics of the past. He described the shift as "a little bit" of a revolution, focusing on playing through the lines and taking risks with the ball.

"On the ball, we try to go through the lines and take some risks," Pocognoli said. "We have the players to do this, but it is a change. We have players who made mistakes at the World Cup so it is a process to give them confidence. We have to create a game plan which makes decisions easier for them. I allow them to make some mistakes."

Scotland is set to face a tougher test against Switzerland, a team that reached the World Cup quarter-finals. Pocognoli aims to strike a balance between playing well and securing victories, incorporating direct play and counter-pressing into their strategy.