Sebastien Pocognoli set to be appointed as Scotland's new head coach
Former Monaco and Union Saint-Gilloise head coach Sebastien Pocognoli, 39, has been identified by the Scottish FA as the prime candidate to replace Steve Clarke, with an announcement expected as early as Monday.
Pocognoli identified as Clarke's successor
The Scottish FA has identified former Monaco head coach Sebastien Pocognoli as its prime candidate to replace Steve Clarke as Scotland manager, according to BBC and an exclusive report in the Scottish Sun. Pocognoli, 39, left the Ligue 1 side in early June after a disappointing end to the season. An announcement could come as early as Monday, with the Scottish FA's chief executive Ian Maxwell and chief football officer Craig Mulholland, appointed in May, having spoken to several candidates before settling on the Belgian. Pocognoli's odds of becoming the next Scotland manager tumbled over the weekend, with several bookmakers almost instantly installing him as the favourite for the top job at Hampden Park.
Clarke resigned after seven years in charge following Scotland's group-stage exit from this summer's World Cup, despite having signed a new four-year contract in May. The search for his successor has seen David Moyes, Steven Naismith and Ange Postecoglou all listed as favourites over the past two months before Pocognoli emerged as the shock candidate.
Playing and coaching career
A 13-cap Belgium international, Pocognoli played for AZ Alkmaar, Standard Liege, West Bromwich Albion and Brighton during an 18-year playing career. He began coaching at Union Saint-Gilloise's academy after retiring in 2021, later moving to Genk's Under-18 setup and combining that role with the Belgium Under-18 head coach position in 2023.
His first senior managerial role came in July 2024, when he was appointed permanent head coach of Union Saint-Gilloise. In his debut season, he guided the club to its first league title in 90 years, winning nine of ten matches in the Belgian Championship Playoffs. A 1-0 win over league leaders Club Brugge in the penultimate game was followed by a 3-1 final-day victory over Gent to seal the title and secure a place in the Champions League League Phase for the first time in the club's history.
- Began coaching career at Union Saint-Gilloise academy after retiring as a player
- Appointed Belgium Under-18 head coach alongside Genk academy role
- Appointed permanent head coach of Union Saint-Gilloise
- Won Union Saint-Gilloise's first league title in 90 years in debut season
- Appointed AS Monaco head coach, replacing Adi Hutter
- Sacked by Monaco after finishing seventh in Ligue 1
- Identified by Scottish FA as prime candidate for Scotland manager
Monaco stint and departure
Pocognoli was appointed by Monaco in October 2025 to replace Adi Hutter. He won 16 of his 38 games in charge, guiding the club into the knockout stages of the Champions League, but finished seventh in Ligue 1 and was sacked in June after a disappointing run that saw Monaco fail to qualify for the Champions League. He had also been among the contenders to replace Derek McInnes as head coach of Hearts before Wouter Vrancken was appointed in the summer.
What lies ahead for Scotland
If appointed, Pocognoli would become only the second foreign manager to lead Scotland's men's team, after Berti Vogts in the 2000s. His first challenge would be the Nations League this autumn, with Scotland drawn in a group alongside North Macedonia, Switzerland and Slovenia. The campaign begins with a fixture in Slovenia on 26 September, the first of a four-game block of fixtures.
Steven Naismith, who served as one of Clarke's assistants, said last month he expects to continue in the national team set-up under a new head coach. Pocognoli has been described as a "bold and demanding modern coach."
