Function over form may have often been the hallmark of Scotland’s success under Steve Clarke, but his successor Sebastien Pocognoli believes he has the tools at his disposal to build a national team of both style and substance.
One of the abiding criticisms of Clarke over his reign was that his team, while qualifying for three major tournaments, were regularly not the easiest on the eye. And furthermore, that their inability to impose themselves and dominate their opposition was often his team’s undoing when they did arrive on the big stage.
While Clarke drew sympathy from some quarters due to a belief that he didn’t have the players to operate any other way and get results, Pocognoli believes there is more than enough within his new-look squad for Scotland to successfully implement the more progressive gameplan that he has in mind.
“Long-term we will have a good style of play, but the focus is on changing some principles,” Pocognoli said.
“I am quite direct in my game offensively and defensively, I try to be a little bit more on the front foot. We have quality in the team to play direct but with an identity, to play through the ground, to explore the depth and be as quick as possible in the opposite box and as high as possible on the pitch.
“Sometimes you face a good team, and you have to be lower, but that is not the main approach. It’s always to try to be dominant, especially at home.”
In order for his new style to succeed, Pocognoli will require buy-in from every member of his squad, and he spoke to each of them individually to inform them of their call-up to his first camp, which will begin in La Manga next week before Scotland travel to take on Slovenia in Ljubljana in their Nations League opener.
Particularly valuable though in easing the transition will be the endorsement of the senior members of his squad, which is why he flew to London to talk to captain Andy Robertson directly about the direction in which he wishes to steer his team.
“I do not usually do it because I normally work with clubs, but I had the experience with the[Belgium] youth team when I tried to connect with my players,” he said.
“The camp is five days and the first days, the first approach, the first eye contact can give a lot advantages. I did that over the last two days and they all reacted well. It wasn’t just ‘you are selected, I will see you’. It was informal conversations. I will continue to do this in the camp but I maybe don’t need to do it on the first couple of days, I can manage my time to prepare for the game.
“I think it is fantastic that the players had a good relationship with the previous staff. That meant they were successful. [Andy] was really positive about what happened in the past and I expect my captain to be behind me, and that doesn’t mean they aren’t also behind the previous staff. They were committed and now they want to improve and continue to be successful.
“It was a nice chat. Informal, but I also got information to improve things. It wasn’t about what wasn’t working, I want to make my own perception.
“I think it is normal when a new coach arrives that you have to deal with change. It is normal that there is some change. That is why I am here. When they recruited me and I accepted the job it was about being logical about what I can bring, what are the strengths of the team and what I can build.
“I think we have the quality and the profile to play as I want. It will maybe take a little bit of time to implement this. The players were open about this. But it’s not just about talk, now we need to show and act."
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