Sebastien Pocognoli is keen to secure his inaugural victory as Scotland’s head coach to help bolster his players’ confidence.
His tenure began with a scoreless draw against Slovenia, followed by a 3-0 home defeat to Switzerland, which saw Jack Hendry sent off early in the match.
Scotland has gone four consecutive matches without scoring, a feat they’ve only experienced once before, in May 1971, and they have never gone five consecutive games without netting a goal.
Pocognoli (D1 L1) risks becoming the fourth Scotland manager to not win any of their first three matches, joining John Prentice, Berti Vogts, and George Burley, all of whom didn’t secure a victory in their first four outings.
Though Pocognoli downplayed the notion that defeating North Macedonia on Saturday is crucial, he recognizes the urgency of claiming a win soon.
“No, because the challenge is longer than this camp; we need to tackle this step by step,” he told BBC Scotland when asked about any pressure to win.
Boss#MKDSCO pic.twitter.com/7wLMzm6QOE
— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) October 2, 2026
“Of course, we want to secure our first positive result on the field. Achieving victory is important for our ranking, but it’s also crucial for the players to experience a win, as it brings joy, which in turn allows them the freedom to make decisions and speeds up our development.”
“Had we earned three points in Slovenia, which I believe we deserved, our conversation might be different, but it is what it is.”
Scotland has only lost once in their last seven away matches across all competitions (W4 D2), managing to maintain a clean sheet in five of those games.
After their initial loss to North Macedonia in September 2008 (0-1), Scotland has remained unbeaten in their last three encounters with them (W2 D1), including a 2-1 victory in September 2013.
Fan Take: This news carries weight for soccer enthusiasts as it highlights the growing pressure on Pocognoli and the Scottish national team to perform, particularly as they seek a turnaround after a series of disappointing matches. A win not only boosts morale for the players but could also reignite the passion and support among the fanbase, which is vital for the team’s progress in international competitions.
Source: www.soccernews.com
