Sébastien Pocognoli believes a smiling Billy Gilmour could be key to Scotland’s progress after a disappointing World Cup campaign.
Gilmour shone in the second half on Saturday, during Pocognoli’s managerial debut which finished in a scoreless away draw with Slovenia in the Nations League. The Napoli midfielder, absent from the World Cup due to injury, was praised by Pocognoli: “A player who can execute one‑touch passes without needing to look at the ball clearly grasps the tactical plan,” he said ahead of Gilmour’s first Hampden appearance against Switzerland on Tuesday.
“Players with his qualities are rare, even in Switzerland,” Pocognoli continued. “I want him to regain his smile on the field; he was smiling after the match. I saw the Billy who shone at Brighton during the Slovenia game. At Napoli his role involves more off‑the‑ball work, but when he gets to play he smiles. He will make errors—he misplaced a few passes against Slovenia—but taking those risks is essential to reveal his true ability.”
“I simply want Billy to enjoy his football with a smile. If he achieves that, everything else will follow. I recall his time at Brighton, where I thought he was outstanding.”
Scotland held their Monday training session at Hampden Park rather than their usual nearby base, as Pocognoli aimed to acquaint new squad members with the stadium. “It may not appear aged, but you can sense its history,” he remarked.
Pocognoli also cautioned players who rarely feature for their clubs that securing a spot in his Scotland squad will grow tougher. Ben Gannon‑Doak, Ryan Christie and Aaron Hickey are among the key players whose club minutes have been limited this season. Although he accepts the situation for now, he expects it to shift as Euro 2028 qualifying approaches next year.
“I anticipate Ben will see minutes because Bournemouth are involved in the Europa League,” Pocognoli said. “He will play and get time. Billy has featured in recent weeks since the Champions League began, so squad rotation will commence. My worry is March; if players lack regular game time, we may falter on the physical demands.”
“The physical demands are considerable. At present it is manageable following pre‑season, but we will assess the situation in November. Ultimately, we require players who are getting regular game time.”
