Sebastien Pocognoli's Bold New Scotland Squad

Sebastien Pocognoli has wasted no time putting his stamp on Scotland.

In his first squad since replacing Steve Clarke, the Belgian has ripped up the old script, calling in five uncapped players, recalling a long-debated centre-forward and leaving out a dozen World Cup names. This is not a gentle evolution. It looks like a reset.

New faces, new direction

The headline arrivals are Sevilla striker Robbie Ure and Brondby captain Luis Binks, both handed their first full caps and, with them, a clear message: play well abroad, and Scotland will find you.

Ure, once a Rangers academy prospect, took the road less travelled. He left Scotland, lit up the Swedish league with 20 goals in 20 games for Sirius, and earned a move to LaLiga with Sevilla. Now, at 22, the forward who is also eligible for Ukraine through his grandparents is at the sharp end of Pocognoli’s rebuild.

Binks brings a different kind of story. The 25-year-old defender, now skipper of Danish SuperLiga side Brondby, represented Scotland at under-18 level before switching to England’s youth ranks. Pocognoli has persuaded him back into the fold at a time when leadership in the back line will be vital.

Celtic right-back Colby Donovan, Hearts winger Josh McPake and Swansea City defender Stephen Welsh complete the quintet of debutants. Donovan has featured in every Celtic game this season and steps in for club-mate Anthony Ralston. McPake, impressive since his summer move from St Johnstone to Hearts, has forced his way into contention out wide. Welsh, fresh from a successful loan at Motherwell last season and now at Swansea, offers another option in central defence.

These are not token picks. They are players in form, trusted early.

McBurnie returns to the fold

Amid the new blood, one name jumps off the page for different reasons: Oli McBurnie.

The Hull City striker has not played for Scotland since 2021, his international career stalled by injuries, form and a fair amount of criticism from sections of the support. Pocognoli has cut through the noise and brought him back.

Former Scotland forward James McFadden, speaking on Sky Sports News, believes the 28-year-old has earned this shot. McBurnie has rebuilt himself, returned to the Premier League, and now gets the chance to compete again for the number nine shirt that has felt vacant for too long.

For a nation that has wrestled with the centre-forward role for years, the combination of McBurnie’s recall and Ure’s arrival offers something Scotland have lacked: genuine competition.

Big absences and a changing core

New eras come with casualties. This squad is no different.

Twelve players from the World Cup group are missing. Some absences are enforced, some are tactical, but together they underline how bold Pocognoli intends to be.

Napoli midfielder Scott McTominay, such a key figure in recent qualifying campaigns, sits out as he recovers from minor heart surgery. Rangers striker Lawrence Shankland, a prolific domestic scorer, misses out with a hamstring problem. Torino’s Che Adams is also injured, stripping Scotland of two established forwards in one go.

The list of omissions runs deep. John Souttar (Rangers), Anthony Ralston (Celtic), Grant Hanley (Hibernian), Dominic Hyam (Wrexham), Tyler Fletcher (Manchester United), Lyndon Dykes (Millwall), George Hirst (Stoke City) and Ross Stewart (Swansea) all drop out.

In goal, the end of an era has already arrived. Craig Gordon’s retirement after the World Cup opens the door for Scott Bain and Jon McCracken to return alongside Angus Gunn and Liam Kelly. The hierarchy is shifting.

Established names, fresh competition

Pocognoli has not torn everything up. There is still a strong spine of familiar figures.

Andy Robertson, now at Tottenham, and Kieran Tierney of Celtic headline a defensive unit that also includes Aaron Hickey, Scott McKenna, Nathan Patterson, Jack Hendry, Luke Graham, Josh Doig, Binks, Donovan and Welsh. For all the change, that back line carries experience and promise in equal measure.

In midfield, Billy Gilmour returns after a knee injury ruled him out of Clarke’s final squad. Now at Napoli, the playmaker reclaims his place alongside John McGinn, Ryan Christie, Lewis Ferguson, Kenny McLean, Lennon Miller and McPake. Gilmour’s reintroduction gives Pocognoli a technical fulcrum he can build around.

Up front, the mix is intriguing rather than settled. McBurnie and Ure are joined by Kieron Bowie (Sassuolo), Findlay Curtis (Rangers), Ben Gannon-Doak (Bournemouth) and Hearts forward James Wilson. There is youth, there is rawness, and there is opportunity.

The ones to watch

Among the less heralded names, several stand out.

Luke Graham has quietly put together a breakthrough campaign with Stoke City. The defender, capped three times at under-21 level, has played every minute of a run that brought three wins and a draw in Stoke’s last four Championship matches. He trained with the senior squad before the World Cup; now he steps fully into the frame.

Doig and Bowie, both at Sassuolo in Serie A, return to the squad, as does Udinese midfielder Lennon Miller and Hearts forward James Wilson. Their recalls add depth in key areas and underline Scotland’s growing presence across Italy’s top flight.

For McFadden, though, Ure remains the emblem of this new wave. The former striker praised Ure’s decision to leave Scotland early, chase minutes in Sweden and earn his move to Sevilla, calling it a brave and unconventional route that deserves respect. It is exactly the kind of mentality Pocognoli appears keen to reward.

Nations League on the horizon

All of this comes with competitive football looming fast.

Scotland open their Nations League campaign away to Slovenia on 26 September, before hosting Switzerland three days later. October brings a trip to North Macedonia on the 3rd and a home meeting with Slovenia on the 6th. The group concludes in November with a home game against North Macedonia on the 13th and a potentially decisive visit to Switzerland on the 16th.

By then, Pocognoli will know far more about who can handle this level, who can grow into it, and who might define his tenure.

For now, the message is clear. Reputation alone no longer guarantees a place. Form, bravery and the willingness to test yourself beyond Scotland’s borders are the new currency.

Under a new head coach, with new names on the team sheet and old debates reignited up front, Scotland step into the Nations League with something they have not always carried.

Uncertainty, yes. But also, genuine possibility.