The Scottish Football Association turned to artificial intelligence and advanced data analysis to identify Sebastien Pocognoli as Steve Clarke's successor, sifting through dozens of potential candidates before settling on the Belgian coach. Around 20 people had put themselves forward for consideration, yet none of them received an interview, as the selection process was instead shaped by a data-driven shortlist compiled with outside help.
Rather than a panel manually reviewing applications, the governing body enlisted sporting intelligence firm Twenty First Group, whose analytical systems generated a list of 40 potential candidates after processing vast amounts of footballing data. Pocognoli, a name unfamiliar to many supporters at the time, emerged from that computational exercise.
SFA chief football officer Craig Mulholland said exposure to data analytics in England's top flight had shaped his approach to the search.
I've been lucky enough over the past three years to have had my eyes open to it in the English Premier League. It's not a new thing - everyone's using it. It's about who's using it best.
How did the data shape the search?
The association's internal data unit worked alongside external analysts to build a model of what qualities a successful Scotland head coach should possess, drawing on variables ranging from cultural fit to genetics and even climate. Officials examined ten nations comparable to Scotland in population and footballing tradition to establish benchmarks the country should be matching or exceeding.
We looked at 10 different countries, similar size to Scotland, similar population base, similar football history and said 'right, what are they doing that we need to make sure we're doing to continue to progress?' Then you get a data set and put that against the coaches and that leads you to who you actually want to talk to.
The exercise also overturned some long-held assumptions within the game about ideal managerial profiles.
I thought that someone who had been an international manager before would be more successful, but what the data tells us is that people doing that job for the first time at international level are more successful. I thought older managers tended to be the ones you go for but there's actually no difference in terms of success between those under and over 50. You would think that people from their own country might be more successful but again we found that wasn't the case.
Who else relies on this kind of analysis?
While data informed the process, it did not make the final call - after the initial screening, SFA officials held direct meetings with several candidates before settling on Pocognoli. Followers of Scottish domestic football will recognise a similar approach at Heart of Midlothian, where the analytics firm Jamestown, founded by club investor Tony Bloom, has built a reputation for identifying undervalued talent. Notably, Pocognoli's title-winning campaign with Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium benefited in part from player recruitment guided by Jamestown's methods.
Such analytical firms have become increasingly embedded across elite football over the past decade. Lee Mooney, who spent six years as analytics director at Manchester City before launching his own consultancy, MUD Analytics, said evaluating managerial candidates remains one of the most difficult challenges in the field.
If you think about it like Formula One - you have to judge the performance of the driver, independent to the car. And then think 'how much of that win was down to the driver, and how much was down to the car?' When looking for a manager you have to have a complete understanding of the players first, before you can look to define the value that's being added through coaching. You can't put Pep in charge of Celtic or Mourinho in charge of Everton in-order to validate your predictions, so it's super difficult to solve.
The public visibility of the SFA's data-led approach means the association could face scrutiny should the appointment falter, though Mulholland suggested such scrutiny would be more likely if data had been ignored altogether.
What has happened since the appointment?
Pocognoli's hiring was formally confirmed on 16 August 2026, when he signed an initial two-year contract to take over from Clarke, according to a report from Irish broadcaster RTE. The 39-year-old, who left French club Monaco in June 2026 as a free agent, becomes only the second foreign head coach of Scotland's men's national team after Berti Vogts, according to Sky Sports.
The recruitment process was overseen by chief executive Ian Maxwell alongside Mulholland, who had only taken up his role as chief football officer in May 2026. Clarke's departure followed Scotland's exit from the World Cup at the group stage, according to Fox Sports.
What happens next?
Pocognoli's first competitive fixture in charge is scheduled for 26 September 2026, when Scotland travel to Ljubljana to open their Nations League campaign against Slovenia, according to RTE. The group phase will also include matches against North Macedonia and Switzerland. His two-year deal is expected to carry him through to Euro 2028, a tournament Scotland are co-hosting, according to Sky Sports.
Key Facts
- Sebastien Pocognoli, 39, was confirmed as Scotland head coach on 16 August 2026 on a two-year deal.
- He replaces Steve Clarke, who left after Scotland's group-stage World Cup exit.
- The Scottish FA used AI firm Twenty First Group to generate a 40-name candidate shortlist.
- Pocognoli won the Belgian league with Union Saint-Gilloise, aided by data from analytics firm Jamestown.
- His first match in charge comes against Slovenia in a Nations League fixture on 26 September 2026.
