Former Union Saint-Gilloise and Monaco head coach Sebastien Pocognoli has been lined up as the new Scotland head coach. The Scottish Football Association is reportedly close to a deal for the 39-year-old Belgian to replace Steve Clarke, with an appointment possibly confirmed early next week.
Pocognoli, a former Belgium international, guided Union Saint-Gilloise to the 2024-25 Belgian title in his inaugural season as a head coach. He previously worked with youth players at Union, Belgium, and Genk.
After moving to Monaco in October last year, Pocognoli led the team to the Champions League knockout phase, where they were narrowly defeated by Paris Saint-Germain. However, Monaco finished seventh in Ligue 1, missing out on qualification for this season's Champions League and instead gaining entry to the Conference League play-offs, leading to his sacking at the end of the season.
Clarke stepped down in June after Scotland's World Cup group-stage exit, despite signing a new four-year contract before the tournament. He had led Scotland to their first three major tournaments of the century during his seven-year tenure.