Sebastien Pocognoli has been refreshingly honest about one of Scotland’s most persistent problems ahead of the Nations League clash with North Macedonia at Hampden Park.
The interim head coach, who stepped up after Steve Clarke’s departure, has pinpointed a specific issue that has been costing Scotland dearly in recent matches. The problem? What he calls the “10 metre problem” – the tendency for the team to drop off and concede dangerous space in defensive situations, particularly from set pieces and transitions.
Pocognoli has made no secret of the fact that fixing this issue is high on his priority list before North Macedonia arrive in Glasgow. It is the kind of tactical detail that Clarke’s teams sometimes struggled with in the latter stages of his tenure, and the Belgian coach knows that North Macedonia will look to exploit any weakness if it is not addressed quickly.
The shadow of Clarke still looms large over the national setup. The former manager had a transformative effect on Scottish football, guiding the team to back-to-back major tournaments for the first time in a generation. But the end of his reign was difficult, with Scotland failing to progress from their Euro 2024 group after a miserable opening defeat to Germany. The manner of the exit left a sour taste, and Pocognoli has inherited a squad that needs a confidence boost as much as it needs tactical refinement.
Pocognoli himself is well aware of the weight of expectation. Scottish football fans are not used to having something to shout about, but Clarke genuinely changed that. There is now a standard to maintain, and dropping back into the wilderness of qualification failures is not something anyone connected with the national team wants to think about.
The Nations League fixture against North Macedonia represents a chance to build some momentum. North Macedonia are no pushovers – they have produced some genuine shocks over the years and have players capable of hurting teams who are not properly organised. Scotland cannot afford to be sloppy.
The 10 metre issue Pocognoli is referring to is essentially about defensive shape and compactness. When teams press high or deliver balls into the box, Scotland have shown a tendency to leave pockets of space that opponents can exploit. It is a coachable problem, but it requires the players to buy into a new set of instructions quickly, which is always a challenge when a manager has just changed.
There is not a lot of preparation time in international football. Pocognoli gets his players together for a few days before matchday, and that is it. He has to communicate his ideas clearly and get the squad on board fast. By all accounts, the players have responded well to him in training, and there is a positive atmosphere around the camp.
Scotland have genuine quality throughout the squad. Andy Robertson remains one of the best left backs in European football despite a difficult spell with Liverpool. Scott McTominay has been in brilliant form for Napoli after his move to Serie A. Kieran Tierney, when fit, adds real quality. These are players who have performed at the highest level of club football, and Pocognoli will be leaning on their experience to help implement his ideas quickly.
The Hampden crowd will play its part too. Scotland at home, under the lights, with a noisy crowd behind them is a genuinely tough environment for visiting teams. North Macedonia will know that. If Scotland can get the basics right and sort out the defensive issues Pocognoli has flagged, they have more than enough to take three points.
This match is about more than just the result, though. It is about setting a tone for what comes next. Scottish football is at a crossroads after the Clarke era, and how the team performs in these early games under Pocognoli will go a long way to shaping the direction of the national side heading into the next qualification campaign.
Pocognoli has been open, direct and clear about what needs to improve. That honesty is a good sign. Now he just needs to deliver on the pitch.