Prepare yourself for a spine-tingling rendition of Flower of Scotland, a few fresh faces and a swift Swiss team, as Pocognoli is set to manage his first home game.
Pocognoli’s first match as Scotland head coach can be marked as a success, given we didn’t lose and he also displayed a quality that Scotland fans very seldom witness — attacking football.
Although the match ended with the points shared in Slovenia, there were plenty of positives to gather from that game: the football was stylish and fast-flowing, wing-backs were used effectively and we had a plethora of shots at goal.
The only aspects missing from a dream start as head coach were three points and some goals — all of which will manifest over time. The lack of goals in that game certainly won’t be an immediate concern, as all three strikers who featured, McBurnie, Ure and Bowie, looked sharp in their play.
With the road to Hampden slowly being lit ahead of Tuesday night’s game, what are the three key elements to expect as 51,000 Tartan Army members all descend on the national stadium with the prospect of a win on the cards?
As many would expect, there will very probably be personnel changes for Tuesday night’s game, with Pocognoli aiming to gain a rounded report of the players he has at his disposal, and the only way to achieve that is through squad rotation.
It’s probably a given that there will be a few fresh faces within the squad and a few more players being awarded their first national cap. Of the seven uncapped players selected for the squad, five still await the nod from the head coach, one of whom includes Jon McCracken. Although that cap looks unlikely with him being the fourth-choice keeper, but never say never.
It wouldn’t come as a shock if Josh McPake was handed his debut, given the start to his season with Hearts, and it would be interesting to see how he could make an impact down the left-hand side of the pitch. Similarly, Josh Doig could also feature. The only issue is that he is also a left-sided player, so I wouldn’t expect both him and McPake to start, as they’d be vying for the same position.
Hampden is the place of dreams. Many legends have stepped out onto the pitch, hundreds of memorable goals have been scored, and Scotland have conquered all and written history at this very ground.
The sheer history of the ground won’t be lost on the new head coach, as Tuesday night will hold a greater memory for Pocognoli as he stands in the dugout at Hampden for the first time, with no doubt a sublime rendition of Flower of Scotland being belted out around the stadium to welcome him.
With a near-sell-out crowd, it’s the prime opportunity to display his new style of play in front of a home crowd, with the Tartan Army roaring his side on. It’s also the perfect chance to register his first three points in charge, but make no mistake, the Swiss will not make it easy.
We’ve faced Switzerland on 17 occasions, and the last time we defeated them at home came in 1990 during our Euros qualifiers, as both John Robertson and Gary McAllister bagged themselves a goal.
We have, of course, played the Swiss since, and similarly, it was during the 2024 Euros. However, the less said about that campaign, the better. The only positive from that dismal period was that we managed to scrape a draw against an in-form Swiss side, proving that they can be held and also defeated.
The Swiss are often underestimated, and it’s a criminal presumption to make, as they were unbeaten in 13 games before heading to the 2026 World Cup and, during that competition, made it to the quarter-finals, only to be knocked out by Argentina.
Now, will it be a hard-fought match? Absolutely! Like always, the crowd at Hampden will back the boys to either the bitter or triumphant end, and positivity will be running high amongst the nation which will no doubt emulate onto the pitch.
With much to be desired and a chance to boost our Nations League hopes, Tuesday night promises to host a cracking match.
To watch the match preview Tik Tok video follow the link below: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZN8rqd5VL/
