Sebastien Pocognoli has been issued a formal warning by UEFA following a delayed kick-off in his first match as Scotland manager. The disciplinary news comes alongside one-match bans for Under-21 coaches Tony Docherty and Steven Naismith for unsporting conduct.
Pocognoli, the Belgian appointed to lead the national team, was sanctioned after the Nations League opener away to Slovenia on September 26. That match finished 0-0, but the late start drew UEFA's attention. The governing body also fined Scotland £1,250 for the throwing of objects by supporters during the fixture in Ljubljana. This result was part of a recent run of one win, one draw and two defeats for the senior side.
"I'm not going to comment on this," Pocognoli said when asked about the warning.
Under-21 coaches face bans
The separate bans for coaches Docherty and Naismith stem from a post-match altercation following a Scotland Under-21 European Championship qualifier against Bulgaria. The trouble erupted after a heavy challenge by Bulgaria’s Simeon Shishkov on Dylan Lobban. In a chaotic two-minute spell, four red cards were shown, leading to the subsequent sanctions. Docherty, who replaced Scot Gemmil as head coach in the summer, and assistant Naismith will each serve a one-match touchline ban.
Bulgaria's Simeon Shishkov and coach Svetlin Spasov also received one-match bans for their roles in the incident. The disciplinary ripple effects add to a challenging period for Scotland's senior side, which has recorded one win, one draw and two defeats in its last four matches. That run includes a 1-2 home defeat to Slovenia earlier this month, a result that leaves their Nations League group ambitions under pressure. This followed a 2-0 away win over FYR Macedonia on 3 October, where Kieron Bowie and John McGinn were the scorers.
The team will be looking to build on their 2-0 away win over the same opponents from earlier in October.
Read the full report at The Scotsman Football
