Scotland head coach Sebastien Pocognoli expressed his delight at welcoming back Scott McTominay, describing the Napoli midfielder as one of the fantastic leaders who convinced him to take the job.
Pocognoli Praises McTominay and Leadership Group
The Belgian manager revealed that the fit-again 29-year-old is part of a “captain group of five” tasked with ensuring his instructions are executed on the pitch. McTominay missed Pocognoli’s initial four-game UEFA Nations League camp, during which Scotland recorded a draw against Slovenia, a defeat to Switzerland, a win over North Macedonia, and a home loss to Slovenia.
McTominay recently returned to action after undergoing a minor heart procedure, having received treatment for an irregular heartbeat just days prior to Scotland’s World Cup victory over Haiti in June. Speaking ahead of Friday’s match against North Macedonia at Hampden, Pocognoli emphasised the midfielder’s importance to the squad.
“I don’t have to paint a picture of how important a player he is for us,” Pocognoli told BBC Sport. “He is exciting. He had a smile on his face from the minute he arrived at the camp.”
Pocognoli noted that a strong leadership group previously helped him guide Union Saint-Gilloise to their first Belgian title in 90 years. “Without leaders, you can’t win anything,” he stated, adding that the team needs players to help the coaching staff maintain standards.
“We are really lucky that we have a lot of captains in this team. It is one of the reasons why I feel comfortable to come to Scotland as the gaffer because I know we have fantastic leaders who are committed to doing their best for their country,” he said.
Preparing for Crucial Nations League Fixtures
Another key figure in the leadership group is team captain Andy Robertson, with Pocognoli describing it as fantastic that the Tottenham Hotspur left-back is poised to equal Kenny Dalglish’s record of 102 caps. “We are really lucky in modern football to have a leader like him,” Pocognoli noted.
Despite Scotland sitting third in Nations League Group B1 behind Switzerland and Slovenia, facing the risk of missing out on promotion, Pocognoli has maintained a positive outlook and gathered valuable insights from his opening four matches.
“We know what we need to improve, but it is always a short period of time – two days to prepare for the game,” Pocognoli explained.
Scotland require a minimum of four points from their final two fixtures to keep their promotion play-off hopes alive. Depending on the draw, failure to advance could mean these upcoming matches represent their final time together before European Championship qualifiers begin.
“These two games, if we start the qualification in March, are the last package of games and we have to use it to be ready for the March camp,” Pocognoli added. “If it is June, we have more time to prepare with friendlies. This camp is crucial for me in demanding the players try to impress me and do everything to improve.”
