Scotland explored hiring former Belgium manager Rudi Garcia before appointing Sebastien Pocognoli as their new head coach. The Scottish FA made contact with the Royal Belgian Football Association to assess Garcia's credentials following Steve Clarke's departure after a disappointing World Cup.
Vincent Mannaert, chief executive of the RBFA, confirmed the approach. "My last contact with Rudi concerned Scotland‘s request to know what we thought of our collaboration with him," Mannaert said. He provided honest feedback on Garcia's sporting performance, which included guiding Belgium to the World Cup quarter-finals. However, the Belgian FA felt a different profile was needed for their own new cycle, and Garcia himself told Mannaert the Scotland project did not interest him.
Why Scotland moved on from Garcia
With Garcia out of the picture, the SFA turned to a data-driven recruitment process. They eventually handed a two-year deal to Sebastien Pocognoli, who took charge earlier this year.
Scotland's recent form shows one win, one draw and two defeats from their last four matches. They beat FYR Macedonia 2-0 away but lost 2-1 at home to Slovenia earlier this month. The team now prepares to host FYR Macedonia again on 13 November, a key fixture in their Nations League group.
Garcia, who has managed clubs like Lille, Marseille and Napoli, remains a free agent. His only international experience was with Belgium. Scotland's search for a new leader is now firmly focused on Pocognoli, who will be looking to build momentum ahead of the next round of qualifiers.
Read the full report at The Scotsman Football
