Sebastien Pocognoli given patient Scotland timeline from inside dressing room as Tartan Army urged to let it build

McGinn urges patience with new manager Pocognoli, saying it could take 18 months to see Scotland firing on all cylinders.

John McGinn has called on Scotland fans to be patient with new manager Sebastien Pocognoli, warning that it could take 18 months for the Belgian to get the national side performing at their best.

The Aston Villa captain, who scored a double in Friday's 2-1 win over North Macedonia, acknowledged that while Pocognoli has a strong reputation from his time at USG and Monaco, building a cohesive unit takes time. McGinn stressed that success in modern football depends on unity and teamwork rather than individual brilliance, and that the process "won't happen overnight."

Scotland face Switzerland in St Gallen on Monday night in a crucial Euro 2028 qualifier, needing victory and a Slovenia slip-up against North Macedonia to secure a Pot 2 seeding in the qualifying draw on December 6. Despite the immediate challenge, McGinn insisted Scotland will stick to their approach under Pocognoli rather than changing tactics for the Swiss.