Ian Maxwell has lifted the lid on the 50 days since Steve Clarke's departure from the World Cup and the left-field appointment of Sebastien Pocognoli as Scotland's new head coach.
Maxwell defends left-field choice
Maxwell, the Scottish FA chief executive, insisted that the 39-year-old Belgian, who has just two years of coaching experience at Union Saint-Gilloise and Monaco, is the right man for the job, despite being an unexpected pick.
“It's been a long 50 days since Steve left. But the appointment process has been a brilliant thing to be involved in,” he said. “And I'm absolutely delighted with the appointment we've made. Seb's one of Europe's most sought-after young coaches.”
Shifting expectations
Maxwell acknowledged that the appointment marks a shift in focus from just qualifying for tournaments to performing at them, noting that the country's expectations have changed.
“The expectation in the country is now that just qualifying for tournaments isn't enough, and we were very open about that with Seb and everybody else we spoke to,” he said.
Embracing modern trends
The appointment is seen as an attempt to embrace modern football trends, with Maxwell highlighting Pocognoli's attacking philosophy and the importance of a fresh voice.
“He wants to play on the front foot, he wants to be aggressive, he wants to get a high press, he wants to get after teams,” Maxwell added.
Pocognoli's appointment marks the first time Scotland have hired a foreign coach since Berti Vogts two decades ago, but Maxwell sees no reason to fear history repeating itself, pointing to the global nature of modern football.
