Pocognoli Calls for 'Tidy-Up' as Scotland Face Nations League Double-Header and Euro Qualifying Build-Up

Sebastien Pocognoli, after naming his latest Scotland squad on 3 November 2026, said he wants to "continue what we produced in the first camp" and carry out a "tidy-up" ahead of Euro qualifying and the conclusion of the Nations League this month.

Scotland arrived at Hampden to a two-thirds-full crowd and were heavily beaten by Slovenia, a result that followed what the article describes as a "dominant display in a Nations League draw away to the Slovenians 10 days prior" and a 2-0 win at North Macedonia; an earlier 3-0 home defeat to Switzerland came after Jack Hendry's early red card and an opening goal for the 12th-ranked Fifa nation. Captain Andy Robertson said the team had been "outfought" and simply "not good enough", and Pocognoli acknowledged the performance raised questions over approach, systems and squad makeup.

Pocognoli, 39, framed the current camp as continuity rather than wholesale change after a debut spell that mixed strong decisions with inconsistent results, saying: "There's no reason to change everything because I was happy with the camp. The main word is continuity [after the first camp]." He stressed the need for victories to restore confidence and cited the importance of balancing experimentation with success: "It's important to get some good results for sure. I was clear we need to find the right balance between changing things, experimenting and also being successful."

The coach named a squad that includes the returns of Scott McTominay, Che Adams and Kieran Tierney, and grants a first Scotland call-up to James Penrice as a reward for form at Rangers. Pocognoli defended the camp's early work despite criticism, saying: "When the disappointment was gone, the first feeling was positive. We did a lot of good things. But we need a good result to give something to the supporters and give confidence to the players that we are winning games - that's the main factor in qualifying for tournaments. We want to just continue the good things we showed in Slovenia and North Macedonia in a very short period of time, to keep the fragment of these games and to try to clean some situations."

Scotland sit third in Nations League Group B1 and, according to the article, require a minimum of four points to have any chance of finishing second and featuring in the promotion play-offs, while one point would avoid relegation. Pocognoli labelled Euro 2028 qualification "the big job" and noted the draw takes place in Belfast on 6 December, with group fixtures starting in March next year; the article also states Scotland will have to qualify for the tournament they are co-hosting with England, Wales and the Republic of Ireland and that two places will be reserved at the finals should any of the host nations fail to qualify.

On personnel, Pocognoli highlighted the experience added by McTominay, Adams and Tierney, saying: "If you accumulate their caps, we have some experience that will be useful for this camp." He added he wants to use the available time to study players' "body language, the attitude of the players in some situations" and to gather information needed "to start the big job [of qualifying for the Euros]."

Penrice, signed on loan to Rangers from AEK Athens in August, has impressed frequently and has been used by Derek McInnes occasionally in midfield; Pocognoli explained the left-back's selection by saying: "We have some missing players around the left side and, combined with his quality and what we are looking for on the pitch, it's a logical choice. He can be very useful for the system we want to play, and I think he deserves it."

Lennon Miller has been omitted after returning to the squad following his World Cup exclusion, a decision Pocognoli downplayed as "not a big topic". The article records Miller as a 20-year-old whose only start produced a standout performance in the 4-0 win in Liechtenstein in June 2025 but who has since played just three minutes for the national side; Pocognoli said: "We've offered him the opportunity to play for the Under-21s, maybe in the position and shape from the first team. For Udinese he plays as a number six. I want to see him higher on the pitch. Like with Findlay [Curtis], if he's doing well with the Under-21s, for us it's like a massive scouting report for the future because we can see him in his best position in the shape we want to see."

Scotland's next competitive fixtures are a Nations League double-header against North Macedonia and Switzerland this month, which will conclude their Group B1 campaign, and the national side will then prepare for the Euro 2028 qualifying draw in Belfast on 6 December and group fixtures beginning in March next year.